Henri Rousseau (1844-1910)

Le Rêve (The Dream)

Henri Julien Félix Rousseau, known as le douanier Rousseau (the Customs officer Rousseau) was a French post-impressionist artist of the Primitive school, who painted many jungle pictures though he never visited a jungle in his life, getting his inspiration from the menagerie of animals at the jardin d'Acclimatation in the Bois de Boulogne in Paris. 

Criticised at first for their lack of realism, the laughter was dissipated when Le Rêve was exhibited for the first time. In the words of poet Guillaume Apollinaire: "This year no-one laughs, all are unanimous: they admire".

Le lion ayant faim se jette sur l'antilope.
(The hungry lion attacks the antilope)