Camille Pissarro

Born Jacob Abraham Camille Pissarro, of Jewish descent, on the Island of St. Thomas, this artist is known as a pivotal influence in both Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, and was the only artist of his time to exhibit works in both styles. At age 12, Camille Pissaro was sent to boarding school in Paris, where, he began to demonstrate an inclination toward the works of the French masters. At age 21, Pissarro would take up painting full-time, as well as go on to influence some of the important names in the art world of the time, such as Cézanne, Gauguin and Renoir.

Camille Pissarro was deemed the “Dean of the Impressionist Painters” by art historian John Rewald, due to his wise and kindhearted nature, as well as the fact that he was the eldest of the group of artists who would become famous for their contributions to the Impressionist movement. Pissarro has been referred to as a “father figure” to the artists of both the impressionist and post-impressionist movement. Pissarro’s own early works were admittedly influenced by the artists with whom he had previously studied under or worked with. These names include Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, Fritz Melbye, Gustave Courbet and Charles Francois Daubigny. Corot is thought to be the most important influence upon Pissarro’s early work as a painter, though by 1868 the artist stopped listing his master influences at exhibition, effectively declaring himself an independently inspired artist. Camille Pissaro then went on to become the only artist to show his work at all eight Impressionist exhibitions from 1874 to 1886.

Pissarro painted rural and urban French life, particularly landscapes in and around Pontoise, as well as scenes from Montmartre. His mature work displays empathy for peasants and laborers, and sometimes evidences his radical political leanings. Pissarro never lost his capacity for enthusiasm and response, his love of nature, and his unique appreciation for the bright spectacle of life around him, which he set down on his canvas with unforgettable lightness and loveliness.

Out of a budding fascination with Japanese art, Pissarro began experimenting with new styles of composition, sometime between in the late 1860’s to early 1870’s. 1885 to 1890 Camille Pissarro beginning to grow discontent with the elements of traditional romantic impressionism, leading to a period of experimentation with pointillism – which he referred to as Scientific Impressionism – as well as the implementation of Neo-Impressionist ideas. During the last decade of his life, however, Camille Pissarro’s works evidenced the artist’s nostalgic return to the pure Impressionist ideals of his past.

Camille Pissarro’s influence on the whole of the Impressionist movement is probably still grossly underestimated. While this French artist did not sell many paintings during his lifetime, which led to periods of financial hardship, the original paintings of Pissarro, today, have been known to command millions.