Early Life and Training
Camille Pissarro, a Danish-French Impressionist and Neo-Impressionist painter, was born on July 10, 1830, on the island of St. Thomas (now in the US Virgin Islands). His father, Frederick Pissarro, was of Portuguese Jewish descent with French nationality, and his mother, Rachel Manzano de Pissarro, was from a French-Jewish family.
Pissarro's early education took place at the Savary Academy in Passy near Paris, where he developed an appreciation for French art masters. He later studied under
Anton Melbye, a Danish painter, and worked alongside
Georges Seurat and
Paul Signac when he adopted the Neo-Impressionist style at the age of 54.
Artistic Contributions and Style
Pissarro's importance in art history lies in his contributions to both Impressionism and Post-Impressionism. He was a pivotal figure in establishing a collective society of fifteen aspiring artists in 1873, earning him the title "dean of the Impressionist painters" due to his wisdom, kindness, and balanced personality.
Pissarro's artistic style focused on portraying individuals in natural settings without "artifice or grandeur." He was the only artist to have shown his work at all eight Paris Impressionist exhibitions from 1874 to 1886. His work acted as a father figure not only to the Impressionists but also to four major Post-Impressionists, including
Georges Seurat,
Paul Cézanne,
Vincent van Gogh, and
Paul Gauguin.
Notable Works and Legacy
Some of Pissarro's notable works include:
Key Points:
- Born: July 10, 1830, St. Thomas (US Virgin Islands)
- Nationality: Danish-French
- Art Movement: Impressionism and Neo-Impressionism
- Notable Works:
Red Roofs,
View from My Window, Le Havre
- Featured in: Musée d'Orsay, Metropolitan Museum of Art, WahooArt
Divisionism Art Movement and
Orovida Camille Pissarro, the artist's granddaughter, are also featured on WahooArt.