Camille Pissarro - The French Godfather of Impressionism and Neo-Impressionism
By Annette Labedzki

One man credited as the 'cradle' of the 'Impressionist' movement in France was the painter, Jacob-Abraham-Camille Pissarro or simply, Camille Pissarro. He was an iconic father figure to many a greats, such as his colleagues, Gauguin and Cezanne. Pissarro was born on the Virgin Islands of St Thomas, to his Portuguese father, Abraham Gabriel Pissarro, a Jew, and a Spanish mom, Rachel Manzano-Pomie, on July 10, 1830.

His initial education, in the typical mould of the mid nineteenth century education, took place in a boarding school in Paris, when he was twelve. Upon his return to St Thomas, after the formal education, Pissarro took up his childhood passion and started painting. At the age of 22, in 1852, he traveled to Venezuela with his fellow artist Fritz Melbye. This tour was a revelation of the sort for the young Pissarro. The sights and the smells of Venezuela inspired something creatively big in him, but then the lack of a formal grounding in artistic techniques proved an impediment.

Coming back to Paris in 1855, he enrolled at Ecole des Beaux-Arts, studying under the influence of artists, such as Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, Gustave Courbet, and Charles-Francois Daubigny. These teachers were institutions in themselves and Pissarro was heavily inclined towards Corot. Corot's style influenced Camille's early paintings, a fusion of 'Naturalism' and 'Impressionism.' In 1859, he was formally admitted into the 'Salon,' the official exhibition of the Academy in France. The show got him a source of income, while having a 'legitimizing' effect on his works. During 1859-61, Pissarro attended the Academie Suisse, where he strongly bonded with painters, such as Monet and Cezanne. This was also a starting of the courtship of ten years with his mother's maid, Julie Vellay, whom he married in 1871.They were blessed with six children, of which, two sons, Lucien and Georges, also turned out to be accomplished painters.

As Camille Pissarro was developing his own imitable style of 'Impressionism' and influencing the younger breed of 'Impressionists,' the 'Salon' did not find his paintings anything more than "Sketchy Wall Papers" (which by the way, was the 'official' view about 'Impressionism'). Turning to the breakaway 'Salon des Refuses,' which featured the rebel 'Impressionists' like Degas and Monet, Pissarro became the leading light of this nascent movement.

During 1866-68, he lived and painted at Pontoise, often incorporating the scenic beauty of the place into his works, such as in "Jalais Hill Pontoise (1867)." Later he moved to Louveciennes, a commune cum village in Paris, North France. This, however, proved to be a disastrous move, as the village was gutted in the Franco-Prussian War during 1870-71 and Pissarro had to flee to London in September 1870.

Upon return in June 1871, Camille's commercial fortune kept falling, until his close associate, Daubigny, introduced him to an influential art dealer, Durand-Ruel, a favorite of the 'Impressionists.' In 1871, Pissarro had painted "The Avenue, Sydenham," "Norwood under Snow," "Lordship Lane Station," "The Crystal Palace," and "Dulwich College," to name some. Impressed Durand went out of his way to promote Pissarro and organized exhibitions & showings, which gave the much-needed financial succor to the artist. Between 1872 and 1878, Camille Pissarro returned to his beloved Pontoise, often collaborating with Cezanne to produce a series of masterpieces, which remain exemplary mementoes of 'Neo- Impressionism.' "The Garden of Pontoise," painted in 1875, is the quintessential Pissarro piece, which captures the essence of his love towards Pontoise. It also marks the shift of Pissarro from 'Realism' to bona fide 'Impressionism.'

Pissarro's later years (1885 onwards) were spent exploring 'Pointillism' techniques with Seurat and Signac, the masters of art. Soon, however, he returned to 'Impressionism.' He kept coming to London in 1890, 92, & 97, and painted several oils on each trip. Death came peacefully to him on Nov 12, 1903, in Paris. More than his work, which usually were themed around rural & urban life and the scenic views of a place, Pissarro is remembered for the influence he exerted on the famous painters, such as Gauguin and Cezanne. This speaks highly of him not only as an artist, but as a human being as well.

Annette Labedzki received her BFA at the Emily Carr College of Art and Design in Vancouver, B.C. Canada. She has more than 25 years experience. She is the founder and developer of an online art gallery featuring original art from all over the world. It is a great site for art collectors to buy original art. Is is also a venue for artists to display and sell their art . Artists can join for free and their image upload is unlimited. Please visit the website at http://www.labedzki-art.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Annette_Labedzki
http://EzineArticles.com/?Camille-Pissarro---The-French-Godfather-of-
Impressionism-and-Neo-Impressionism&id=1855507