Musée d'Orsay for Kids (150) What color is this earth? / Pissarro: Painting only what he saw
Even as it becomes a new town
The fields spreading out in Louveciennes, though the roads haven't been built yet, have streaks of brown earth continuing off into the distance.
That house over there was just built; it must have a fireplace. There are several new chimneys on the roof.
Construction has begun in this town, too.
There is plenty of lumber in the fields.
Pissarro, who lived in Louveciennes just outside of Paris, painted the countryside that still retained its old appearance while the town's development progressed.
The ground was a bit damp from yesterday's rain, but today it is soft and fluffy under the sun, and the earth has warmed up completely and begun to dry. It has a nostalgic, pleasant scent.
The girl sitting over there is feeding a goat.
Over there, a madame has found something in the grass and reached out her hand. Flowers? Or perhaps herbs for a pot-au-feu?
White clouds in the blue sky, and earth and greenery of various colors illuminated by soft sunlight.
Pissarro painted the simple beauty of the French countryside with gentle brushstrokes.
Camille Pissarro
Allée de la Tour-du-Jongleur et maison de M. Musy, Louveciennes, circa 1869
Camille Pissarro
Allée de la Tour-du-Jongleur and the Musy House, Louveciennes, 1869
Pissarro later explained his outdoor painting technique to his students: 'Paint the sky, water, branches, and ground at the same time, treat everything equally, and constantly revise until you are satisfied. It is best to paint generously and without hesitation so as not to lose the initial impression.'
Corot, the teacher Pissarro revered, often completed his paintings after returning to the studio and frequently made revisions based on preconceived notions. Pissarro, on the other hand, preferred to complete his paintings outdoors and often finished them in one go. A more realistic sensibility could be felt in his works.
As a result, Pissarro's art was sometimes criticized as 'vulgar.' This was because he painted exactly what he saw, such as 'ditches and bordered messy thickets, piles of dirt, and trees at various stages of growth.' It is said that such depictions are equivalent to art that depicts trash cans and beer bottles on the side of the road in modern times. This difference in style existed between Pissarro and Corot.
Thank you for reading.
In an era when local towns were undergoing major changes as a result of industrialization and urbanization in France, Pissarro painted the calm and peaceful appearance of the countryside that still remained.
With his long white beard, Pissarro was seen as a wise elder and a father figure, a gentle personality whom everyone relied on. He mediated disputes among the Impressionists many times and showed understanding for the techniques of the new era one after another. Cézanne even wrote that he was a 'pupil of Pissarro' in his own exhibition catalog.
Pissarro's paintings were panned at Impressionist exhibitions as 'muddy, dirty, and unkempt landscapes,' but what do you think?
This color of earth, brown, which appears in many of Pissarro's works—doesn't it make you feel warm just looking at it?
