Montmorency by Camille Pissarro

Camille Pissarro
1830-1903 | French

Montmorency

Stamped "C.P." (lower left)
Pencil on paper

This early drawing from the great French Impressionist Camille Pissarro offers insight into the development of his style at the beginning of his career. Born in St. Thomas, Pissarro moved to Paris in 1855 determined to become an artist; during these early years, he spent time in rural areas such as Montmorency, where he discovered ample subject matter for his paintings. This drawing, which offers a view of farmland in Montmorency, reflects his early experimentation with rendering the French landscape. A very similar drawing of Montmorency by the artist can be found in the collection of the National Gallery of Art (Washington, D.C.)

Born in St. Thomas in the Danish West Indies, Pissarro was sent to school in Paris at the age of 11, where he first displayed a talent for drawing. In 1855, having convinced his parents of his determination to pursue a career as an artist rather than work in the family shipping business, he returned to Paris where he studied at the Académie Suisse alongside Claude Monet. At the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War in 1870, Pissarro moved to England. With Monet, he painted a series of landscapes around South-East London and studied English landscape painters in the museums. When he returned home to Louveciennes a year later, Camille discovered that all but 40 of the 1500 paintings he had left there - almost 20 years of work - had been vandalized.

In 1872, Camille settled in Pontoise where he remained for the next 10 years, gathering a close circle of friends around him. Gauguin was among the many artists to visit him there, and Cézanne, who lived nearby, came for long periods to work and learn. In 1874, Pissarro participated in the first Impressionist exhibition and became the only painter to exhibit in all eight of their shows. His revolutionary approach to painting and thought-provoking compositions had a profound effect on his contemporaries and the entire future of modern art. Today, his work can be found in many of the most important museums and private collections throughout the world. 

This work is accompanied by a letter of authenticity from Dr. Joachim Pissarro and will be included in the forthcoming Catalogue Raisonné of Drawings by Camille Pissarro.

Circa 1858-60

Paper: 8 1/4" high x 12 3/4" wide