This article is about the artwork. For the jazz album by Michael Franks, see Sleeping Gypsy (album).
The Sleeping Gypsy (French: La Bohémienne endormie) is an 1897 oil painting by French Naïve artist Henri Rousseau (1844–1910). It is a fantastical depiction of a lion musing over a sleeping woman on a moonlit night.
Rousseau first exhibited the painting at the 13th Salon des Indépendants, and tried unsuccessfully to sell it to the mayor of his hometown, Laval. Instead, it entered the private collection of a Parisian charcoal merchant where it remained until 1924, when it was discovered by the art critic Louis Vauxcelles. The Paris-based art dealer Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler purchased the painting in 1924, although a controversy arose over whether the painting was a forgery. It was acquired by art historian Alfred H. Barr Jr. for the New York Museum of Modern Art.[1][2]
Rousseau described his painting as follows: "A wandering Negress, a mandolin player, lies with her jar beside her (a vase with drinking water), overcome by fatigue in a deep sleep. A lion chances to pass by, picks up her scent yet does not devour her. There is a moonlight effect, very poetic."
A print of the work appears in the movie The Apartment (1960) above the comatose Fran Kubelik.
The painting has served as inspiration for poetry and music, and has been altered and parodied by various artists often with the lion replaced by a dog or other animal. In the Simpsons episode "Mom and Pop Art" (1999), Homer dreams of waking up in the artwork with the lion licking his head.
The painting is seen in the house of Dr. Robert Neville in I Am Legend (2007), after being taken from the MoMA when New York City was abandoned. The painting is ultimately destroyed when his house blows up.
This painting appears in the episode of Madeline "Madeline At The Louvre" where Madeline sees herself as the gypsy who sleeps in the painting.
The painting is referenced in Angela Carter's The Passion of New Eve to describe the fatigued stillness of the eponymous protagonist (London: Virago, 1982), p.161.
The painting is referenced in William Saroyan's "Tracy's Tiger." (1951)
The painting is also shown in the Between the Lions episode Art Party where the cubs talk about the sleeping gypsy in the beginning, middle, and end. (2003)
References
^Sybil Gordon Kantor (2003). Alfred H. Barr, Jr. and the Intellectual Origins of the Museum of Modern Art. MIT Press. p. 66. ISBN0-262-61196-1.
^Dora Vallier (1979). Henri Rousseau. Crown Publishers. p. 61. ISBN0-517-53697-8.
The Sleeping Gypsy-an artists Interpretation 2018-08-20 at the Wayback Machine
May 21, 2023
sleeping, gypsy, this, article, about, artwork, jazz, album, michael, franks, sleeping, gypsy, album, french, bohémienne, endormie, 1897, painting, french, naïve, artist, henri, rousseau, 1844, 1910, fantastical, depiction, lion, musing, over, sleeping, woman,. This article is about the artwork For the jazz album by Michael Franks see Sleeping Gypsy album The Sleeping Gypsy French La Bohemienne endormie is an 1897 oil painting by French Naive artist Henri Rousseau 1844 1910 It is a fantastical depiction of a lion musing over a sleeping woman on a moonlit night The Sleeping GypsyArtistHenri RousseauYear1897 1897 Mediumoil on canvasDimensions129 5 cm 200 7 cm 51 0 in 79 0 in LocationMuseum of Modern Art New YorkRousseau first exhibited the painting at the 13th Salon des Independants and tried unsuccessfully to sell it to the mayor of his hometown Laval Instead it entered the private collection of a Parisian charcoal merchant where it remained until 1924 when it was discovered by the art critic Louis Vauxcelles The Paris based art dealer Daniel Henry Kahnweiler purchased the painting in 1924 although a controversy arose over whether the painting was a forgery It was acquired by art historian Alfred H Barr Jr for the New York Museum of Modern Art 1 2 Contents 1 Description 2 Popular culture references 3 References 4 External linksDescription EditRousseau described his painting as follows A wandering Negress a mandolin player lies with her jar beside her a vase with drinking water overcome by fatigue in a deep sleep A lion chances to pass by picks up her scent yet does not devour her There is a moonlight effect very poetic Popular culture references EditThis article appears to contain trivial minor or unrelated references to popular culture Please reorganize this content to explain the subject s impact on popular culture providing citations to reliable secondary sources rather than simply listing appearances Unsourced material may be challenged and removed February 2021 A print of the work appears in the movie The Apartment 1960 above the comatose Fran Kubelik The painting has served as inspiration for poetry and music and has been altered and parodied by various artists often with the lion replaced by a dog or other animal In the Simpsons episode Mom and Pop Art 1999 Homer dreams of waking up in the artwork with the lion licking his head The painting is seen in the house of Dr Robert Neville in I Am Legend 2007 after being taken from the MoMA when New York City was abandoned The painting is ultimately destroyed when his house blows up This painting appears in the episode of Madeline Madeline At The Louvre where Madeline sees herself as the gypsy who sleeps in the painting The painting is referenced in Angela Carter s The Passion of New Eve to describe the fatigued stillness of the eponymous protagonist London Virago 1982 p 161 The painting is referenced in William Saroyan s Tracy s Tiger 1951 The painting is also shown in the Between the Lions episode Art Party where the cubs talk about the sleeping gypsy in the beginning middle and end 2003 References Edit Sybil Gordon Kantor 2003 Alfred H Barr Jr and the Intellectual Origins of the Museum of Modern Art MIT Press p 66 ISBN 0 262 61196 1 Dora Vallier 1979 Henri Rousseau Crown Publishers p 61 ISBN 0 517 53697 8 External links EditThe Sleeping Gypsy at the Museum of Modern Art The Sleeping Gypsy MoMA Provenance Research The Sleeping Gypsy an artists Interpretation Archived 2018 08 20 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Sleeping Gypsy amp oldid 1156105262, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
