Camille Pissarro Art for Sale: Prints & Originals

Camille
Pissarro

Camille Pissarro, a key figure in Impressionist and Post-Impressionist circles, masterfully captured rural and urban French life. If you’re looking for original Camille Pissarro prints and editions for sale or would like to sell, request a complimentary valuation and browse our network’s most in-demand works.

Biography

Born Jacob Abraham Camille Pissarro in 1830 in the West Indies island of St. Thomas, Pissarro was sent to Paris at the age of 12 for his education. Pissarro's formative years were marked by an early exposure to the works of the masters in the Louvre, which ignited his passion for painting. Despite initial resistance from his family, he pursued his ambitions, studying under a variety of instructors, including landscape painter Camille Corot, who influenced Pissarro's early works with his Barbizon school techniques.

Pissarro's development was marked by a persistent dedication to depicting the natural world and the lives of the people within it. His early work is characterised by a pre-Impressionist style, with a palette and technique influenced by Corot and Gustave Courbet. Yet, as the 1860s progressed, Pissarro began to experiment with light and colour, eventually adopting the loose brushwork and vibrant hues that became synonymous with Impressionism.

As a founding member of the Impressionists, Pissarro was the only artist to exhibit in all eight of the group's Paris exhibitions. His works from this period, such as Hoar Frost and The Côte Des Bœufs At L'Hermitage, are celebrated for their luminous portrayal of the French countryside and the rhythmic, humanistic qualities he imparted to rural scenes.

Pissarro's influence extended through his collaborative relationships and mentorships with artists like Paul Cézanne. He was known for his generous spirit and was regarded as a father figure among the Impressionists. Pissarro's later years saw him experimenting with Pointillism, although he eventually returned to the looser, more expressive style of his earlier works.

Throughout his career, Pissarro exhibited in major venues, including the Paris Salon and the Salon des Refusés. His dedication to painting en plein air and his emphasis on light and movement laid the groundwork for Post-Impressionism and further modernist developments.

Pissarro's oeuvre is not just an artistic legacy; it's also a testament to his social and political convictions. He was famously an anarchist, and his works subtly reflect his beliefs in the rights of the “common man” and the beauty of the natural, unspoiled environment. His depictions of peasants and workers are portrayed with dignity and respect, which was somewhat radical during his time. Pissarro’s engagement with political thought ran parallel with his innovations in art, as he sought to promote an egalitarian society through his depictions of everyday life.
Pissarro's commitment to the Impressionist cause was unwavering. He was the only artist to exhibit his work at all eight of the Paris Impressionist exhibitions from 1874 to 1886. This is a testament to both his prolific nature and his dedication to the movement that sought to break from the constraints of academic painting. His artworks during these exhibitions charted the evolution of Impressionism, showcasing his versatility in handling different subjects, from bucolic landscapes to the bustling streets of Paris.