Copy painting hand-painted of the artwork
The Past and the Present or Philosophical Thought (Rousseau)

This work is an allegorical double portrait of great emotional depth. Henri Rousseau depicts himself alongside his second wife, Joséphine, in a peaceful landscape. But floating in clouds above them are the faces of his first wife, Clémence, and another figure, symbolizing memory and the past. The composition is imbued with a touching solemnity. The couple of the “present” is painted with a strong presence, while the figures of the “past” have an ethereal quality. Rousseau, with his naive style, manages to address a complex subject—memory, love, grief, and the passage of time—with disarming sincerity. The tree that separates the two eras and the small flowering bush in the foreground add to the symbolism of life going on. It is a deeply personal and universal painting.