Art & Music Appreciation: Week Five (September 1, 2025 – September 5, 2025)

ART APPRECIATION

This is a wildlife scene using rich shades of green. This painting displays Rousseau’s favorite theme, the jungle. Another popular piece by Rousseau is The Sleeping Gypsy.
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Henri Rousseau (1844-1910) was born in France. He went to school as any normal child would. He was not a standout student in any subjects, but he did win prizes for drawing and music. Rousseau married had children, and worked as a tax collector on goods entering Paris. It was not until he retired that he focused on painting full-time Since he never had any formal art instruction, he was considered naive or primitive. Many of his best-known pictures are jungle scenes. Though he portrayed them beautifully, Rousseau never visited any jungles. All his inspirations, such as The Hungry Lion Throws Itself on the Antelope and Tiger in a Tropical Storm, came from books.
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MUSIC APPRECIATION

“Take Five” by Paul Desmond

This song was the biggest hit for the Dave Brubeck Quarter. Desmond was an American jazz alto saxophonist and composer. He preferred Cool Jazz, which was a style of jazz influenced by bebop and big band after World War II.
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Paul Desmond (1924-1977) was was a prominent American jazz saxophonist known for his distinctive sound and significant contributions to the cool jazz movement. After changing his name in 1946, Desmond’s early life was marked by challenges, including familial struggles that led him to spend time with relatives in New York. He began playing the clarinet in high school, later enlisting in the Army during World War II, where he met pianist Dave Brubeck. Their collaboration began in earnest when they formed the Dave Brubeck Quartet in 1951, a group that would become renowned for its innovative musical style, particularly with the hit “Take Five,” which featured unusual time signatures and showcased Desmond’s airy tone. ⁴