Considered by many to be the father of Impressionism and one of the most respected artists of the 19th century, Camille Pissarro forever changed the course of art history.  With an artistic career that spanned over 50 years, the revolutionary patriarch influenced the likes of Monet, Cézanne, Cassatt and van Gogh with the founding ideals of portraying everyday life, always remaining true to the innate beauty of the natural world.

Composed during one of the Impressionist master’s most significant periods, Vachère dans une Clairière is the culmination of everything the artist had tirelessly advocated his entire life. Drawing upon his love of the rural beauty of Éragny and mastery of plein air composition, Pissarro displays the magnificence of this picturesque village with a warmth and overall harmony, illustrating the bond between the land and its people.

From the very beginning, Pissarro was a teacher, always imparting his knowledge upon the close-knit Impressionists that looked upon him as a guiding force. When recounting the opposition the Impressionists encountered at the inception of the movement, Cézanne stated that he "never forgot the sympathy and understanding with which Pissarro encouraged him." This sentiment held strong for the most important pupils in his life…his children. His son Lucien described his father as a "splendid teacher, never imposing his personality on his pupil." 

Every generation of Pissarros has nurtured gifted artists that carry on Camille’s legacy to this day.  The paintings of his grandson, Hugues Claude Pissarro, who is renowned for his unique Impressionist perspective, have been exhibited throughout the world to much acclaim. Clear parallels can be drawn between he and his grandfather when examining works such as Le Pont Neuf, Paris, which showcases the same outstanding devotion to light, color and form as his legendary ancestor. 

The father of both an artistic movement and dynasty, the art of Camille Pissarro lives on in his own masterpieces and those of his children and grandchildren, who have built upon the guiding principles of purity in art that have been passed to them for over 150 years.

To learn more about and view all of M.S. Rau Antiques’ paintings by the Pissarro family, click here.

About M.S. Rau Antiques:
M.S. Rau Antiques has spent over 100 years earning the trust of discerning collectors world-wide. Located in the heart of New Orleans’ historic French Quarter, our peerless gallery houses one of the world’s most extensive and stunning collections of important fine art by artists such as Monet and van Gogh, rare 18th-and 19th-century antiques and breathtaking jewelry, including rare colored diamonds.