Impressionism is a movement synonymous with names like Monet, Manet, and Cezanne for their daring approaches to this new and evolving generation. Camille Pissarro rarely comes up as one of the first names you think of, but his contribution to this era was essential nonetheless and quickly became a pivotal figure in the world of art.
Early Life
Jacob-Abraham-Camille Pissarro was a Danish-French impressionist born in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas. He would continue to live in his hometown until travelling to Paris for boarding school, where he spent his free time drawing and observing the life around him.
Growing up, and even when he made a name for himself in the art world, Pissarro was considered an outsider, usually for reasons relating to his family and ethnic background. Perhaps this unfortunate aspect of his life led him to empathize with new and upcoming artists, as he was kind, respectful, and welcomed many with open arms. He committed to becoming a full-time artist at 21, but when returning home after fleeing from the Franco-Prussian War, he discovered that his house, along with many of his early works, were destroyed.
Boulevarde Montmartre
During his later life, Pissarro suffered from an eye condition that restricted him from working outdoors for long periods. His creative solution was to start painting outdoor scenes through the windows of hotels, which occupied the majority of his time in Paris and London. He went on to create a series of 14 paintings of the same view of Boulevarde Montmartre from the window of the Grand Hôtel de Russie during different times of the day. Collections like these remind me of other artists who have done the same, like Hokusai and his 36 Mount Fuji prints, and make me wonder about the reason behind artists’ fascination with series paintings.
Pissarro was not only a notable leader in the development of the Impressionistic style, but he also became an important character for future generations that came after him and was an influence on Neo-Impressionism. It is truly a little disappointing to see Pissarro as such an underrated figure of his time, but his dignified life, stunning works, and remarkable impacts on the world of art will never be forgotten.
Sources
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoEX16Stct0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIE7FME6F8M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CW8Bwt2ZJwo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ES5_kkOxKvM&list=PLnqgKdfiHvurTl2sC-8KECu53gYjLHBYs&index=13
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camille_Pissarro
https://www.camille-pissarro.org/biography.html
https://impressionistarts.com/first-impressionist-exhibition