The Laundry Boat of Pont de Charenton (Le Bateau-lavoir du Pont de Charenton) Henri Rousseau Buy Art Prints Now
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Tom Gurney BSc (Hons) is an art history expert with over 20 years experience
Published on June 19, 2020 / Updated on October 14, 2023
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The laundry boat of Pont de Charenton is a painting by Henri Julien Felix Rousseau who is a famous French painter and printmaker. The artwork was painted in 1895 and is currently located in Paris. It has a height of 46 cm (18.1 in) and a width of 55.6 cm (21.8 in).

The theme of the painting seems to be around the time it was painted which is 1895. It features some trees some buildings and a water body. At the top of the painting is the sky which is painted blue, but it is only a small portion. Immediately below the blue skies are heavy grey and white clouds that cover the whole horizon of the painting. Below the heavy skies is a rich and beautiful green landscape that is filled with trees and grass. There are buildings in between the trees and at the end of the buildings, there is a green landscape that borders the water body.

At the left end, there is a tall tree standing alone on some grass, it is separated from the rest of the other trees and green plants by a small path that forms a u-turn. It comes from the right and ends after taking a U-turn back to the right. The path starts in the above landscape and leads into the water body. Where the path takes a turn there is a zebra crossing that is painted black and white and it connects the green grass that is at the bottom of the secluded tree to the other green grass that covers the rest of the painting.

The thick bushes that border the secluded tree hide in them a white building that has a long brown chimney at the top. The chimney is releasing smoke into the sky. Below the building with the chimney but still covered in the bushes there are two buildings, one is a white building with black shading towards its roof, and to its right is another one with orange roofing and brown walls, it has four black windows.

Below the two buildings is a huge white structure that has white walls and grey roofing and four chimneys at the top. The structure is floating at the shore of the water body bordering the green grass above it. At the end of the floating structure, there is a person standing and fishing in the lake using a fishing rod. In between the painting, there are five green trees and below them, there are green bushes.

Below the bushes, there are seven houses arranged in a line and extend to the right end of the painting. Below The houses, there is a black rail and below it, there is a green lawn that leads towards the water body. Inside the water body, there are four boats carrying two people each. At the bottom left there is a signature written H. Rousseau. Those interested in the artist should also check out Surprise and Dream which are considered two of his most famous artworks of all.