Congratulations on another really brilliant edition of this series, Nicole.
Such a great tribute to a man who definitely deserves a lot more credit than he gets sometimes.
As you say, the influence he had on pretty much all the key impressionists (and post impressionists too) is really remarkable. But I also love the stories of how he was just generally a really kind and generous person too.
You did an amazing job exploring Pissarro's life and work. The historical context and your insightful analysis made it really interesting to read. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much, Jo! I've seen your fantastic work on Gardener's World (which absolutely got me through the pandemic, as it did for many others I'm sure). I'm excited to read The Gardening Mind!
Much enjoyed reading this Nicole. I've had the privilege over the decades of seeing many of Pisarro's works. The most recent exhibition of a couple of years ago being at Oxford's Ashmolean Museum, 'Pissarro - Father of Impressionism' that included many works drawn from the Ashmolean's collection as well as international loans that spanned Pissarro's entire career. It also included many works, influenced by Pissarro, by his friends and contemporaries such Degas, Cézanne, van Gogh and Gauguin.While the curation left something to be desired (for example including Degas was questionable given, and despite his early friendship with Pissarro, his later anti-Semitism meant he crossed the street to avoid Pissarro), it didn't take too much away from the magnificence of the master. But it does make one wonder whether Pissarro's lack of commercial success had something to do with the anti-Semitism prevalent in France at the time. The Dreyfus case being the most well-known example of the time.
Thank you so much, Harry! And yes, that’s an excellent point - I do wonder if that influenced how potential buyers perceived his work. The Impressionists split on the Dreyfus case - something I’ll have to delve into in a future essay. I’ve been debating if I should write a separate piece that focuses solely on how the movement broke apart, as it may be tricky to do in one artist’s profile. If readers are interested, I absolutely will!
I do think it's worth the research Nicole - I know that Monet sided with Dreyfus but Cezanne sided with the right wing. I suspect modern readers might be surprised that a group they might see as 'radical' split along such lines. They were a more complex group than today's audience maybe understand.
Very true. They were politically more complex than some may assume. Okay, I’m convinced! My plan now is to profile Cézanne, Cassatt, Degas, and Renoir this fall, and perhaps as a final essay, I can explore how the group split apart and the legacy of Impressionism today. Thank you for this! ☺️
Congratulations on another really brilliant edition of this series, Nicole.
Such a great tribute to a man who definitely deserves a lot more credit than he gets sometimes.
As you say, the influence he had on pretty much all the key impressionists (and post impressionists too) is really remarkable. But I also love the stories of how he was just generally a really kind and generous person too.
I’m glad you enjoyed it! And yes, it seems he really tried to encourage and support other artists, which is so lovely.
YAY! I went to the 150th Anniversary of the First Impressionism Exhibition in Paris. It will be in DC at the National Gallery of Art this fall.
I’m so jealous!! That must have been spectacular
It was very crowded, even on a weekday morning, but quite amazing. A real learning experience.
Love this study of Pissaro’s work ❤️
Thank you so much!
You did an amazing job exploring Pissarro's life and work. The historical context and your insightful analysis made it really interesting to read. Thank you for sharing.
I really appreciate that--thank you for reading!
This is fascinating - it's so interesting to see how his style changes, and his influence on others. THANK YOU for a great start to the day.
Thank you so much, Jo! I've seen your fantastic work on Gardener's World (which absolutely got me through the pandemic, as it did for many others I'm sure). I'm excited to read The Gardening Mind!
Thank you ever so much Nicole - that's made my day!
Much enjoyed reading this Nicole. I've had the privilege over the decades of seeing many of Pisarro's works. The most recent exhibition of a couple of years ago being at Oxford's Ashmolean Museum, 'Pissarro - Father of Impressionism' that included many works drawn from the Ashmolean's collection as well as international loans that spanned Pissarro's entire career. It also included many works, influenced by Pissarro, by his friends and contemporaries such Degas, Cézanne, van Gogh and Gauguin.While the curation left something to be desired (for example including Degas was questionable given, and despite his early friendship with Pissarro, his later anti-Semitism meant he crossed the street to avoid Pissarro), it didn't take too much away from the magnificence of the master. But it does make one wonder whether Pissarro's lack of commercial success had something to do with the anti-Semitism prevalent in France at the time. The Dreyfus case being the most well-known example of the time.
Thank you so much, Harry! And yes, that’s an excellent point - I do wonder if that influenced how potential buyers perceived his work. The Impressionists split on the Dreyfus case - something I’ll have to delve into in a future essay. I’ve been debating if I should write a separate piece that focuses solely on how the movement broke apart, as it may be tricky to do in one artist’s profile. If readers are interested, I absolutely will!
I do think it's worth the research Nicole - I know that Monet sided with Dreyfus but Cezanne sided with the right wing. I suspect modern readers might be surprised that a group they might see as 'radical' split along such lines. They were a more complex group than today's audience maybe understand.
Very true. They were politically more complex than some may assume. Okay, I’m convinced! My plan now is to profile Cézanne, Cassatt, Degas, and Renoir this fall, and perhaps as a final essay, I can explore how the group split apart and the legacy of Impressionism today. Thank you for this! ☺️
Wonderful, Nicole. We look forward to them too. His nighttime Montmartre is one of our favourite paintings
Thank you! :)
I look forward to reading the result of your efforts! - and again that's a wonderful piece on Pissarro 👍