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Camille Pissarro
Camille Pissarro (July 10, 1830 - November 13, 1903) was a
French oil painting artist. His importance resides not only in his
visual contributions to
Impressionism and
Post-Impressionism,
but also in his patriarchal standing among his colleagues,
particularly
Paul Cézanne.
Known as the "Father of Impressionism", Pissarro painted rural and
urban French life, particularly landscapes in and around Pontoise,
as well as scenes from Montmartre. His mature work displays an
empathy for peasants and laborers, and sometimes evidences his
radical political leanings. He was a mentor to
Paul Cézanne and
Paul Gauguin and
his example inspired many younger artists
Pissarro's influence on his fellow Impressionists is probably still
underrated; not only did he offer substantial contributions to
Impressionist theory, but he also managed to remain on friendly,
mutually respectful terms with such difficult personalities as
Edgar Degas,
Cézanne and Gauguin. Pissarro exhibited at all eight of the
Impressionist exhibitions. Moreover, whereas
Claude Monet was
the most prolific and emblematic practitioner of the Impressionist
style, Pissarro was nonetheless a primary developer of
Impressionist technique.
Pissarro experimented with
Neo-Impressionist
ideas between 1885 and 1890. Discontented with what he referred to
as "romantic Impressionism", he investigated Pointillism which he
called "scientific Impressionism" before returning to a purer
Impressionism in the last decade of his life.
In March 1893, Paris Gallery Durand-Ruel organized a major
exhibition of 46 of Pissarro's works along with 55 others by
Antonio de La Gandara. But while the critics acclaimed Gandara,
their appraisal of Pissarro's art was less enthusiastic.
Pissarro died in Éragny-sur-Epte on either November 12 or November
13, 1903 and was buried in Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris.
During his lifetime, Camille Pissarro sold few of his paintings. By
2005, however, some of his works were selling for over U.S. $4
million.
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