Russell Collection Inventory

Born in the Danish West India island town of Saint-Thomas to a Creole mother and an Israeli-French father, Pissarro crossed the Atlantic to study at the Pension Savary in France at the age of 12. While staying in a boarding-house in Passy, he dedicated his energies solely toward drawing. The landlord, Mr. Savary, encouraged his artistic pursuits and taught the young and enthusiastic Pissarro to absorb his sense of inspiration from nature and common life; that the most honest and insightful teacher is “direct observation.” By standing firm to these principles, Pissarro would prove to be one of the most influential and profound forerunners within the Impressionist movement.

Pissarro studied as a pupil in Anton Melbye’s Paris studio in 1855 alongside Corot, Courbet, Delacroix, Daubigny, and Millet. Encouraged by these artists, especially Corot, he began to visit the individual studies of these distinguished painters, learning to acutely study the changing of the hours and seasons. Painting at the Academic Suisse outside Paris in 1857, he met the young painter Claude Monet and soon after befriended Degas and Cezanne. Pissarro acted as a mentor to young aspiring artists, greatly encouraging, supporting, and introducing them to the Impressionist vision and technique. He helped and inspired Degas and Cezanne, as well as Gauguin to free their vision . After the Franco-Prussian War, Pissarro settled in the French rural village of Pontoise where he observed agrarian life. Empathizing with the peasants’ turmoil and distress, he depicted their toilsome daily labor in his art.

In 1874, struggling with financial and emotional hardship, Pissarro called upon art dealers such as Martin, Tanguy, and Durand-Ruel to organize an Exposition in 1874 led by Pissarro and his artistic circle. This “seemingly simple event, turned out to have such profound results that it transformed the modern painting of the time.” There eventually were eight Impressionist exhibitions featuring the art of Cezanne, Degas, Renoir, Sisley, Millet, Monet, Mary Cassat, Gauguin, and Seurat among others. Camille Pissarro, however, would be the only artist to have his work shown at all eight exhibits.

As is the case with most of the Impressionist artists, it took a great deal of time before Pissarro began to gain credibility. It was not until late in his career, after relentless, uncompromising efforts, that Pissarro finally received recognition as a notable painter. It is the outcome of his independence, political convictions, revolutionary spirit, and passionate intensity that makes Camille Pissarro stand out as one of the most influential personalities among the Impressionist movement

Museum Collections:
Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL; Louvre, Paris, France; Chateau Museum, Dieppe, France; Hermitage Museum, Leningrad, Russia; National Gallery, London, England; Tate Gallery, London, England; National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia; Guggenheim Museum, New York, NY; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY; Museum D’Orsay, Paris, France; Norton Simon, Pasadena, CA; National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo, Japan; National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.; National and provincial museums world-wide.

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Paysanne Bechant (1890) Etching Sold Stamped with grey monogram and numbered 15/24. From the posthumous edition of either 1922, 1923 or 1930, all of which were stamped with the same monogramDelteil No. 95 Unframed Size: 6 1/4 x 4 5/8" Framed Size: No Size Available Inventory Number: P1683

Vue de Rouen (Cours-la-Reine) (1884) Drypoint and aquatint Sold Stamped with brown monogram and numbered 30/50. From the 1920 posthumous edition Delteil No.50 Unframed Size: 5 7/8 x 7 5/8" Framed Size: No Size Available Inventory Number: P1484

Les Faneuses Etching in bistre-brown ink Delteil 94, c. 1890 Only State known, edition 500 As published in Die Impressionisten, Duret, Berlin, B. Cassirer, 1909 Very fine impression printed with plate tone Unframed Size: 8 1/6 x 5 5/8" Framed Size: No Size Available Inventory Number: P 1325