PISSARRO 5 GENERATIONS OF ARTISTS
St e r n Pi s s a r r o G a l l e r y
STERN PISSARRO GALLERY 6 6 S T. J A M E S ’ S S T R E E T, L O N D O N S W 1 A 1 N E , U K +44 (0)20 7629 6662 STERN@PISSARRO.COM w w w. p i s s a r r o . a r t
F I V E G E N E R AT I O N S O F A R T I STS
INTRODUCTION
Stern Pissarro Gallery has been showing works by Camille Pissarro and his descendants for 30 years. Side by side with the other gallery activities, we continue to source new material for our ever-evolving collection of Pissarro artists, on display in our lower gallery. This catalogue explores the rich artistic tradition of the Pissarro family through a selection of works by Camille Pissarro, his sons Lucien, Georges, Félix, Ludovic-Rodolph and Paul-Émile, and their descendants Orovida, Hugues Claude, Yvon, Lélia and Lyora. The breadth of artworks created over 170 years, spanning five generations, affirms the enduring nature of Camille Pissarro’s Impressionist teachings within the family, while revealing the extraordinary diversity of talents and styles represented by these artists. This is all the more remarkable given their common root in Impressionism. Camille Pissarro, a founder of the Impressionist movement and an important influence on both Cézanne and Gauguin, was also the master of an informal art school within his own family. The essence of Pissarro’s teaching was to capture and record the “petite sensation” one felt before nature in sketches, drawings and paintings. To the dismay of his wife Julie, who was concerned with her children’s future financial security, each of Camille’s sons followed their natural inclination towards the arts and took up painting at an early age. In the catalogue of the first formal exhibition of the Pissarro family held at the Galerie Marcel Bernheim in Paris in 1934, Gustave Kahn asserted that when at the Pissarro home at Éragny, where they settled in 1884, “one thought only of art”. Lucien, the eldest son, agreed: “My father was a splendid teacher, never imposing his personality on his pupils. Our home in Éragny was saturated with artistic feeling.” It was also virtually a museum, with works by Cézanne, Monet, Van Gogh, Manet, Cassatt, Sisley, Seurat, Signac and Delacroix gracing the walls. Pissarro was firmly against sending his children to art school, advising them instead to study nature in order to become familiar with the works of contemporary and past masters. Works by Impressionists, Japanese prints, Gothic art, and caricatures by Charles Keen and Honoré Daumier were recommended study. Pissarro recognised the need to limit his own influence on his children and, once they were competent with his Impressionist technique, he urged them to pursue an individual style. He also encouraged them to adopt pseudonyms, partly because of the unfavourable reviews and poor sales of his own paintings as well as his anarchist sympathies, but also to allow them freedom and independence. Thus, Lucien worked temporarily under his mother’s maiden name Vellay, Georges became Manzana, Félix used Jean Roch or sometimes Titi, Ludovic-Rodolphe abbreviated to Ludovic-Rodo or Rodo, and Paul-Émile became Paulémile. The extraordinary legacy of Camille Pissarro is the foundation of this outstanding family tradition which continues to be redefined and reshaped by successive generations of Pissarro artists. “Such is this family”, wrote Octave Mirbeau on the occasion of Félix’s untimely death in 1897, “where art is at home and where everyone, whether young or old, cultivates the rarest flowers of beauty, without noise, without publicity and in proud and joyous independence.”
LUCIEN PISSARRO
(1863 -1944) =Esther Bensusan
OROVIDA PISSARRO
(1893-1968)
Anthony
GEORGES-HENRI PISSARRO (MANZANA)
(ROBOA)
(1874 -1897)
FÉLIX PISSARRO (TITI)
FÉLIX PISSARRO (II)
Henri =Simone
Dina
H. CLAUDE PISSARRO (POMIÉ) MARREC
(b.1935) =1 KATIA
(1937-2001)
PAUL-ÉMILE PISSARRO (PAULÉMILE)
Isaac
Rachel
(b.1974)
=2 CORINNE PUZENAT
Samuel
Vera =Daniel Savary
1884-1972) =1 Berthe Bennaiché =2 Yvonne Beaupel
Dotahn
Sandrine
(b.1937) =1 Laura Corti =2 Elizabeth Garcia (Betty)
YVON PISSARRO
Maya
(b.1963) =David Stern
(b.1991)
LYORA PISSARRO
LÉLIA PISSARRO
Kalia
Lila
CLAUDE BONIN-PISSARRO
(1921-2021) =Sylvie
(b.1964) =Mia
Julia
Lionel =Sandrine Moos
Dominique FRÉDÉRIC =Magali BONIN-PISSARRO
Joachim =1 ANABELLE DAOU =2 Nataliya Chorny
Philippe =Sabine
André =Marguerite
(1917-1984) =Marie-Louise
Claude =Everlyne
Madeleine =Pierre Oustry
(1871-1961) =1 Esther Isaacson =2 Amice Brécy =3 BLANCHE MORISET
Michel =Eliane
Aziza
(1878 -1945)
Flore =Léonce Gandovin
Marthe
Paul
LUDOVIC-RODO PISSARRO Jeanne Cocotte (1878 -1952) (1881-1948) =Fernande Perrinet = ALEXANDRE BONIN (1876-1943)
CAMILLE JACOB PISSARRO (1830 -1903) = Julie Vellay (1838 -1926) Jeanne (Minette) (1865-1874)
Tommy
Richard =Joséphine
Camille
The above is designed to show the Pissarro artists rather than the entire family.
CA M I L L E P I SS A R R O (1830 – 1903) Camille Pissarro was one of the most influential members of the French Impressionist movement. Born on the 10th of July 1830 in the Danish colony of Saint Thomas, Camille was the son of Frédéric and Rachel Pissarro. At the age of twelve he went to school in Paris, where he displayed a penchant for drawing. With his parents disapproving of his interest in art, Camille left the island in 1852 with a Danish artist Fritz Melbye to spend the next 18 months in Venezuela. After a brief return to St. Thomas he moved to Paris in 1855 to study at the Académie Suisse where he would meet many influential artistic figures of the period, including Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne, Édouard Manet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. In 1869 Camille moved to Louveciennes. The outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War in 1870 prompted him to relocate to London, where Camille painted a series of landscapes around Norwood and Crystal Palace. At this time, Pissarro and his close friend Claude Monet were able to visit museums together, where they could study and expand their understanding of the tradition of British landscape painting. It was also here that he married Julie Vellay, with whom he would have seven children. Upon returning in June 1871 to Louveciennes, Camille discovered that many of the works he had left in his house had disappeared or become damaged during the Franco-Prussian war. Camille settled in Pontoise with Julie in the summer of 1871 where he was able to gather a close circle of friends around him for the next ten years. Here he was able to continue building his relationships with Cézanne, Monet, Renoir and Degas, expressing his desire to create an alternative to the Salon. This represented a longing to break from the rigid tradition of French academic painting – Camille believed that he and his peers deserved recognition for the new tradition they were shaping. Cézanne repeatedly came to stay with Pissarro, and under Camille’s influence he learned to study nature more patiently, even copying one of Camille’s landscapes in order to learn his teacher’s technique. The first Impressionist group exhibition in 1874 earned the Impressionists much criticism for their art. Pissarro was in fact the only artist to exhibit in all eight of the Impressionist exhibitions, with the final one taking place in 1886. Camille’s main subject matter during those years was the rural landscape, wherein great emphasis was placed on highlighting the idealism of life on the farm. Pissarro believed that peasants and their land remained untainted by the corruption of industrialisation. He admired the figures in these rural landscapes, considering their existence and lifestyle to be a symbol of innocence and purity in an age of violent change. One of the few collectors to show interest in Camille’s work was Paul Gauguin. Having acquired a small collection of Impressionist works, he turned to Camille for advice on becoming a painter himself. For several years Gauguin closely followed his mentor; although their friendship was fraught with disagreement and misunderstandings, Gauguin nonetheless wrote shortly before Camille’s death in 1903: “He was one of my masters, and I do not deny him.” In the 1880s Camille moved from Pontoise to nearby Osny, before settling in 1884 in Éragny-sur-Epte, a small Normandy village northwest of Paris. In 1885, Camille met both Paul Signac and Georges Seurat after being introduced by his eldest son Lucien. He was fascinated by their efforts to replace the intuitive approach of the Impressionists with the “Divisionist” method, a scientific study of nature’s phenomena based on optical laws. Despite having reached his mid-fifties, Camille did not hesitate to follow the two young innovators. However, after a few years Camille felt restricted by Seurat’s theories and returned to his more spontaneous technique, whilst retaining the lightness and purity of colour acquired during his Divisionist phase. In the last years of his life Camille divided his time between Paris, Rouen, Le Havre and Éragny, where he continued to explore the varying effects of light and weather in various series of works. Many of these paintings are considered to be amongst his best, with his series of Paris street scenes becoming one of the most collectable themes in his oeuvre. By the time Pissarro died in 1903, his career was flourishing and he had become widely recognised. Today his work can be found in all of the major museums throughout the world.
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L'Anse des Pilotes, après-midi, temps ensoleillé, Le Havre Oil on canvas 46 × 55 cm (18¹⁄₈ × 21₅⁄₈ inches) Signed and dated lower left, C. Pissarro 1903 The comprehensive list of literature, provenance and exhibition history is available on demand. Literature L-R. Pissarro and L. Venturi, Camille Pissarro: Son art–son oeuvre, Paris, 1939, vol. I, no. 1307, p. 262; vol. II, no. 1307, pl. 254 5
CA M I L L E P I SS A R R O (1830 – 1903)
detailed image
La Place du Havre, Effet de Pluie Oil on canvas 33 × 41 cm (13 × 16¹⁄₈ inches) Signed lower right, C. Pissarro 97 The comprehensive list of literature, provenance and exhibition history is available on demand. Exhibited Zürich, Kunsthaus, Sammlung Oscar Schmitz (Dresden-Zürich): Französische Impressionisten aus Verschiedenem Besitz, 1932, p. 11, no. 56 (titled Près de la gare de Saint-Lazare) Zürich, Kunsthaus, Französische Maler des XIX Jahrhunderts, 1933, p. 9, no. 27 (titled Beim Bahnhof Saint-Lazare) Paris, Wildenstein & Co., La Collection Oscar Schmitz: Chefs-d’Œuvre de la Peinture Française du XIXe Siècle, 1936, pp. 106-07 & 142, no. 48 (illustrated) Paris, Galerie André Weil, Exposition Pissarro, 1950, no. 44 (titled La Place du Havre à Paris, Effet de Pluie)
Literature J. Pissarro & C. Durand-Ruel Snollaerts, Pissarro, Catalogue Critique des Peintures, vol. III, Paris, 2005, p. 726, no. 1156 (illustrated) 6
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CA M I L L E P I SS A R R O (1830 – 1903)
Bords de l’Oise, Environs de Pontoise Oil on canvas 33 × 41 cm (13 × 16¹⁄₈ inches) Signed and dated lower right, C. Pissarro 1872 The comprehensive list of literature, provenance and exhibition history is available on demand. Literature J. Pissarro & C. Durand-Ruel Snollaerts, Pissarro, Catalogue Critique des Peintures, vol. II, Paris, 2005, p. 218, no. 274 (illustrated) 8
CA M I L L E P I SS A R R O (1830 – 1903)
Route Enneigée avec Maison, Environs d'Éragny Oil on canvas 33.5 × 41 cm (13¼ × 16¹⁄₈ inches) Signed and dated lower left, C. Pissarro 1885 The comprehensive list of literature, provenance and exhibition history is available on demand. Literature J. Pissarro & C. Durand-Ruel Snollaerts, Pissarro, Catalogue Critique des Peintures, vol. III, Paris, 2005, p. 517, no. 784 (illustrated) 9
CA M I L L E P I SS A R R O (1830 – 1903)
A Man Driving Two Cows, a Cow Seen from Behind, a Man Carrying a Churn and Head Studies Black lead, pen and brown ink on paper 20.3 × 26.8 cm (8 × 10½ inches) Inscribed lower right, Pinco Verso: A Man Carrying a Load, a Man Washing at a Basin, and Studies of a Woman and Two Cows Executed in Venezuela circa 1853 Exhibited Paris, Musée Marmottan Monet, Les Impressionnistes en Privé, Cent Chefs-d’Œuvre de Collections Particulières, 13th February – 6th July 2014 Tochigi, Utsunomiya Museum of Art, Camille Pissarro: Patriarche de la Modernité, 24th March – 27th May 2012. The exhibition later travelled to Hyogo Prefectural Museum, 6th June – 19th August 2012 This work is accompanied by a letter of authenticity issued by Dr Joachim Pissarro and will be included in the forthcoming Catalogue Raisonné of Drawings by Camille Pissarro.
Two Seated Women Black lead, pen and brown ink on paper 20.3 × 26.8 cm (8 × 10½ inches) Verso: Three Figures and an Ox Seen from Behind in a Landscape, with Figures Executed in Venezuela circa 1852-54 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.
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CA M I L L E P I SS A R R O (1830 – 1903)
Études de femme, visages, chèvres et rocher Pencil, ink and watercolour on paper 22 × 29.6 cm (8₅⁄₈ × 11₅⁄₈ inches)) Signed on the reverse three times Camille Pizarro and annotated d'après nature on the lower right Executed circa 1852 Drawing on the reverse: Études de chèvres, visage et arbre 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. 11
CA M I L L E P I SS A R R O (1830 – 1903)
Baigneuse mettant ses bas Watercolour and pencil on paper 14 × 18.3 cm (5½ × 7¼ inches) Stamped lower right, C.P. Executed circa 1895 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. 12
CA M I L L E P I SS A R R O (1830 – 1903)
Femme et enfant près d’un puits Pastel and charcoal on paper 43.5 × 31 cm (17¼ × 12¼ inches) Signed lower left, C.Pissarro Executed circa 1875 This work is accompanied by an original Attestation of Inclusion from the Wildenstein Institute, and it will be included in the forthcoming Camille Pissarro Digital Catalogue Raisonné, currently being prepared under the sponsorship of the Wildenstein Plattner Institute. 13
CA M I L L E P I SS A R R O (1830 – 1903)
During the autumn of 1889, Vincent van Gogh, at the time living in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, had a desire to relocate closer to Paris. Wanting to help him, his brother Theo met Pissarro for advice. In a letter from October 4, 1889, Theo wrote to his brother that Pissarro could not host him but would nonetheless try to find him alternative accommodation at his friend Dr. Gachet’s house in Auvers-sur-Oise. In May 1890, van Gogh eventually moved to Auvers-sur-Oise, where he lodged at the Auberge Ravoux at the Café de la Mairie until his death in July of that same year. Pissarro was familiar with van Gogh’s work through the close relationship that his son Lucien had with the artist in his later years, and he would have seen van Gogh’s recent works while visiting Dr. Gachet in Auvers-sur-Oise. The work is indicative of Pissarro’s admiration for the painter, and it can be considered as a homage to van Gogh. The stylistic inspiration Pissarro found in van Gogh’s work is evident in his depiction of elements such as the men wearing caps, the houses in the background and the protruding fence in the right foreground. The little girl sitting on the left is possibly Pissarro’s daughter Jeanne, nicknamed Cocotte, born in 1881, the sixth of Camille and Julie Pissarro’s seven children. Unable to attend Vincent van Gogh’s funeral, Pissarro sent his condolences to the brother Theo in a letter of July 30, 1890, saying: “This morning we received the regrettable news of the death of your poor brother. My son Lucien only had a few minutes to take the train, hoping to attend the funeral. I would have liked to do the same, but I could not be ready in time. It is to my great regret, because I had a great sympathy for the artist’s soul that he was. He will leave a big void among the young people! .... I pity you, my dear friend, and squeeze (sic) your hands.”
Letter from Camille Pissarro to Theo van Gogh, 30th July 1890 14
Auvers-sur-Oise Ink and pencil on paper 30.7 × 46.7 cm (12¹⁄₈ × 18³⁄₈ inches) Stamped with initials lower right C.P. Executed in 1890 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. 15
CA M I L L E P I SS A R R O (1830 – 1903)
La Roche Guyon Pen, ink and sepia wash on paper 30 × 47.2 cm (11¾ × 18₅⁄₈ inches) Signed, dated and inscribed lower left, après midi C Pissarro 1859 La roche Guyon Titled and dated again lower right 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. 16
CA M I L L E P I SS A R R O (1830 – 1903)
Arbres Pencil on paper 44 × 28 cm (17³⁄₈ × 11 inches) Signed lower left, C. Pissarro Executed circa 1860 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. 17
CA M I L L E P I SS A R R O (1830 – 1903)
Peasant woman Ink and graphite on paper 21.6 × 17.1 cm (8½ × 6¾ inches) Stamped lower right, C.P. Executed circa 1885 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. 18
CA M I L L E P I SS A R R O (1830 – 1903)
Deux femmes à table Watercolour, pen, ink and pencil on paper 38 × 29.7 cm (15 × 11¾ inches) Stamped lower right, C.P. Executed in the 1880s 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. 19
CA M I L L E P I SS A R R O (1830 – 1903)
Baigneuse Vue de Dos Etching on paper 8.7 × 7.3 cm (3³⁄₈ × 2₇⁄₈ inches) Stamped with monogram and numbered lower right, 25/50 Created in 1885 (printed at a later date as a part of a limited posthumus edition) Literature Loys Delteil, Alan Hyman, Jean Cailac, Camille Pissarro: The Etchings and Lithographs, Catalogue Raisonné, 1999, San Francisco: Alan Wofsy Fine Arts, p. 252, no. 114 (illustrated p. 253) 20
CA M I L L E P I SS A R R O (1830 – 1903)
Self-Portrait Etching and drypoint on laid paper 18.7 × 17.5 cm (7³⁄₈ × 6 ₇⁄₈ inches) Stamped lower left, C.P. and numbered lower right, 6/22 Created circa 1890 (printed at a later date as a part of a limited posthumus edition) Literature Loys Delteil, Alan Hyman, Jean Cailac, Camille Pissarro: The Etchings and Lithographs, Catalogue Raisonné, 1999, San Francisco: Alan Wolfy Fine Arts, pp. 194-195, no. 90 21
CA M I L L E P I SS A R R O (1830 – 1903)
Vue de Rouen (Cours la Reine) Drypoint and aquatint on paper 14.8 × 19.5 cm (5₇⁄₈ × 7₅⁄₈ inches) Stamped with brown monogram & numbered 18/60 Created in 1884 (printed at a later date as a part of a limited posthumus edition) Literature Loys Delteil, Alan Hyman, Jean Cailac, Camille Pissarro: The Etchings and Lithographs, Catalogue Raisonné, 1999, San Francisco: Alan Wolfy Fine Arts, pp. 102-103, no. 50 22
CA M I L L E P I SS A R R O (1830 – 1903)
Cours Boieldieu, à Rouen Etching on paper 14.9 × 19.4 cm (5₇⁄₈ × 7₅⁄₈ inches) Stamped lower right with blue monogram Inscribed lower left, Nº 17 Cours Boëldieu à Rouen (avec femme à gauche) Created in 1884 (printed at a later date as a part of a limited posthumus edition) Literature Loys Delteil, Alan Hyman, Jean Cailac, Camille Pissarro: The Etchings and Lithographs, Catalogue Raisonné, 1999, San Franciso: Alan Wolfy Fine Arts, pp. 92-93, no. 46 (illustrated p. 93) 23
L U C I E N P I SS A R R O (1863 – 1944) Born on the 20th February 1863, Lucien Pissarro was the eldest son of the Impressionist painter Camille Pissarro. Coached from a young age by his father and in the frequent company of figures such as Cézanne, Gauguin and Monet, it is no surprise that Lucien chose to pursue an artistic career. While he is best known as a landscape painter, Lucien was also a printmaker, wood engraver and printer of fine books, occasionally painting still lifes and portraits of his family. Lucien first visited England in 1870 with his family when fleeing the FrancoPrussian war. It was the beginning of a great love affair with the country. He decided to move permanently to England in 1890, becoming an English citizen in 1916. Until then he had worked as a landscape painter and book illustrator in France. During this period he met and worked with painters such as Paul Signac, Georges Seurat and Vincent van Gogh. Moving simultaneously in Impressionist and Neo-Impressionist circles, Lucien exhibited Pointillist paintings with his father in the last Impressionist exhibition in 1886. In the same year he was one of the first artists to exhibit in the “Salon des Indépendants” as a Neo-Impressionist. Despite his close relationship with his father, as revealed in their correspondence, Lucien showed remarkable independence of mind in his approach to his art. While Lucien was trained by his father, the influence the artists had on one another was reciprocal. Thanks to his relationship with Seurat and Signac, Lucien encouraged Camille to experiment with Pointillism, a characteristic of the NeoImpressionist group. Lucien’s move to England in 1890 allowed him greater freedom to pursue his interest in book illustration and printing. There Lucien and his wife Esther established the Éragny Press, named after the Normandy village where his family lived since 1884. The Éragny Press was principally notable for creating aesthetically pleasing books and paved the way for the development of European book art. Lucien’s illustrations for these books demonstrate his talent and command of colour. Nevertheless, Lucien always considered painting his primary concern, particularly landscape painting. Continuing the tradition of the Impressionists, Lucien was a plein-air painter who liked to work outdoors and study the subject directly from nature. His landscapes reveal his fascination for the effects of weather and light. The contemporary art critic Frank Rutter described Lucien as a master of colour, writing in 1922: “there is no man living who has a more profound knowledge of the science of colour, or a more discriminating eye for its observation in nature.” Rutter was also struck by Lucien’s respect for his subject, nature itself: “Each canvas is wrought with a quiet perfection that conceals its art and is eloquent of the tender emotion which the loveliness of nature inspires in the artist.” It is clear from Rutter’s praise that Lucien’s contemporaries were impressed by his combination of English and French artistic traditions. Unsurprisingly, he became associated with artistic groups that drew inspiration from the Impressionists, including the New English Art Club, with whom he exhibited in 1904, the Fitzroy Street Group in 1907 and the Camden Town Group in 1911. To his English contemporaries Lucien represented a direct link to the Impressionist Masters. His influence can be recognised in the work of British artists such as Spencer Gore, Harold Gilman and Walter Sickert, who acknowledged Lucien’s influence, writing in 1914: “Mr Pissarro, holding the exceptional position at once of an original talent, and of the pupil of his father, the authoritative depository of a mass of inherited knowledge and experience, has certainly served us as a guide.” Since his first solo exhibition at the Carfax Gallery in May 1913, Lucien Pissarro’s work has been featured in countless exhibitions and galleries. During his lifetime Lucien donated his estate to the Ashmolean museum in Oxford, where a permanent collection of his work is still housed today. His works are featured in every major art museum in England, as well as the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, the National Gallery of Australia and many museums in the USA. 24
The Mill House, Blackpool Oil on canvas 28.5 × 34.4 cm (11¼ × 13½ inches) Monogrammed lower right Literature Anne Thorold, A Catalogue of the Oil Paintings of Lucien Pissarro, Athelney Books, London, 1983, cat. no. 154, p.94-95 (illustrated) 25
L U C I E N P I SS A R R O (1863 – 1944)
Wotton-under-Edge Watercolour, ink and crayon on paper 14.6 × 18.5 cm (5¾ × 7¼ inches) Signed with monogram and dated 1920, lower left Inscribed lower right, Wotton-under-Edge Exhibited Colchester, The Minories, The R.A. Bevan Collection, July - August 1975, no. 119 Sudbury, Gainsborough's House, The Bevan Collection: A Selection of Paintings by British Artists including the Camden Group, 5 - 27 August 1978, no. 40 This work is accompanied by a letter of authenticity from Colin Harrison, Senior Curator of European Art at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. 26
L U C I E N P I SS A R R O (1863 – 1944)
Tenterden Watercolour, ink, pen and coloured crayon 16.5 × 24 cm (6½ × 9½ inches) Signed with monogram and titled lower right Executed circa 1913-18 This work is accompanied by a letter of authenticity from Colin Harrison, Senior Curator of European Art at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. 27
L U C I E N P I SS A R R O (1863 – 1944)
Le Défilé Royal (Illustration for Voyage au Pays des Pommes) Watercolour on paper 22.5 × 26 cm (8¼ × 10¼ inches) Signed lower left with monogram Executed circa 1885 Exhibited London, Leicester Galleries, Memorial Exhibition of Lucien Pissarro's Work, Part II, 1947, No. 60 (catalogued as La Procession) This work is accompanied by a letter of authenticity from Colin Harrison, Senior Curator of European Art at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford.
Apparition des Premiers Habitants (Illustration to Voyage aux Pays des Pommes) Watercolour on paper 23 × 26.5 cm (9 × 10³⁄₈ inches) Signed with monogram, lower right Executed circa 1885 This work is accompanied by a letter of authenticity from Colin Harrison, Senior Curator of European Art at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. 28
L U C I E N P I SS A R R O (1863 – 1944)
Église de Chaumont-en-Vexin Watercolour and pencil on paper 27.3 × 20.3 cm (10¾ × 8 inches) Signed, dated 1926 and titled lower left This work is accompanied by a letter of authenticity from Colin Harrison, Senior Curator of European Art at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. 29
G E O R G E S M A N Z A N A P I SS A R R O (1871 – 1961)
Like all second-generation Pissarro artists, Georges Henri ‘Manzana’ Pissarro initially worked under a pseudonym. Born in 1871, Manzana was the third of Camille Pissarro’s seven children, adopting the name ‘Manzana’ in 1894 after the maiden name of his maternal grandmother. It was not until around 1910, to honour his deceased father, that he employed his family name when signing his work. Manzana studied with his father from an early age and spent his formative years surrounded by the distinguished artists associated with the Impressionist movement – Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne, and Paul Gauguin – who frequented the Pissarro home in Éragny. At his father's side he learnt not only to handle brush and pencil but also to observe nature and its changing qualities. Subjected to rich and diverse influences, Manzana became a prolific and versatile artist, working with oil, pastel and watercolour as well as etchings, lithography and stencils. As a young man he adopted his father's purely Impressionist style and produced a series of landscapes around Éragny. He exhibited Impressionist works at the Salon d'Automne and the Salon des Indépendants, as well as Durand Ruel and Druet galleries in Paris in the early 1900s. In 1906 his work began to evolve. Inspired by Dr Mardus’ French translation of ‘A Thousand and One Nights’, Manzana embarked on a grand project to publish his own illustrated version of these magical tales. This pulled Manzana into the umbrella of the decorative arts movement where he flourished creating tapestries, glassware, furniture, ceramics and metal work, all inspired by Orientalism and often incorporating gold, silver and copper paint. In 1907 he had his first exhibition of decorative works at Vollard but it was the 1914 exhibition at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris which dramatically boosted his career. Here he exhibited 311 works including tapestries, carpets, furniture, glassware, decorative paintings, etchings and lithographs. The subsequent years were filled with bright ideas, gilded costumes and a glittering lifestyle as Manzana navigated the 20s and 30s between Les Andelys and Paris, spending many summers in Brittany. These culminated in a series of colourful yet delicate new works which Manzana exhibited prolifically. When war broke out in 1939 Manzana moved with his family to Casablanca, where he remained until 1947. Manzana was married and widowed three times. The last years of his life were spent in Menton with his son Félix who was also an accomplished artist. There Manzana returned to the Impressionist tradition of his early years, painting the serene landscapes that surrounded him. 30
Pont du Chemin de Fer à Moret Oil on canvas 54.5 × 65.2 cm (21½ × 25¹⁄₈ inches) Signed lower right, manzana. Executed in 1903 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Lélia Pissarro. 31
G E O R G E S M A N Z A N A P I SS A R R O (1871 – 1961)
Les Bateaux Lavoirs Oil on canvas 38 × 46 cm (15 × 18¹⁄₈ inches) Signed lower left, manzana Executed circa 1904 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Lélia Pissarro. 32
G E O R G E S M A N Z A N A P I SS A R R O (1871 – 1961)
Petit Lavoir du Pont Pierre, Morêt-sur-Loing Oil on canvas 54.5 × 65.5 cm (21½ × 25¾ inches) Signed and dated lower left, G Manzana 1902 Exhibited Auburn, Alabama, Auburn University, The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, Auburn Collects: The Noel and Kathryn Dickinson Wadsworth Collection, March 13 - May 21, 2004, pl. 26, p. 49 (illustrated) This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Lélia Pissarro. 33
G E O R G E S M A N Z A N A P I SS A R R O (1871 – 1961)
Les Reflets dans l'eau Oil on cardboard 38 × 46 cm (15 × 18¹⁄₈ inches) Signed and dated lower right, manzana-Pissarro 1936 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Lélia Pissarro. 34
G E O R G E S M A N Z A N A P I SS A R R O (1871 – 1961)
Péniches sur le Loing Oil on canvas 54 × 65 cm (21¼ × 25½ inches) Signed and dated lower left, G. Manzana 1902 Exhibited Tel Aviv, Stern Gallery, Pissarro - The 4 Generations, September-October 1994, no. 27 Tokyo, Isetan Museum of Art; Osaka, Daimaru Museum; Fukuoka, Mitsukoshi Gallery; Mie, Prefectural Art Museum; Yamaguchi, Prefectural Museum of Art, Camille Pissarro & The Pissarro Family, March-August 1998, no. F8 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Lélia Pissarro. 35
G E O R G E S M A N Z A N A P I SS A R R O (1871 – 1961)
Baigneuse dans un cours d'eau Gouache on paper 49.5 × 36 cm (19½ × 14¹⁄₈ inches) Signed lower left, manzana – Pissarro This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Lélia Pissarro. 36
G E O R G E S M A N Z A N A P I SS A R R O (1871 – 1961)
L'Orientale Assise Gouache, gold and silver paint and wax pencil on paper 95 × 61 cm (37³⁄₈ × 24 inches) Signed lower left, manzana – Pissarro Executed circa 1910 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Lélia Pissarro. 37
G E O R G E S M A N Z A N A P I SS A R R O (1871 – 1961)
Femmes au Paon Mixed media with gouache, gold, silver highlights and charcoal on paper 22.5 × 29.5 cm (8 ₇⁄₈ × 11₅⁄₈ inches) Signed lower left Manzana-Pissarro. Executed circa 1910 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Lélia Pissarro. 38
G E O R G E S M A N Z A N A P I SS A R R O (1871 – 1961)
Jeune femme à la rivière Oil on panel 46 × 37.5 cm (18¹⁄₈ × 14¾ inches) Signed and dated lower right, 1910. manzana This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Lélia Pissarro. 39
G E O R G E S M A N Z A N A P I SS A R R O (1871 – 1961)
Femme à la mandoline Mixed media on paper 48 × 31 cm (18₇⁄₈ × 12¼ inches) Signed lower right, manzana. Executed circa 1910 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Lélia Pissarro. 40
G E O R G E S M A N Z A N A P I SS A R R O (1871 – 1961)
L’Orientale à la Mandoline Mixed media with gold on paper 31.5 × 41.5 cm (12³⁄₈ × 16³⁄₈ inches) Signed lower right, Manzana Executed in 1910 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Lélia Pissarro. 41
G E O R G E S M A N Z A N A P I SS A R R O (1871 – 1961)
Odette aux seins nus Mixed media and gold on paper 31.5 × 42.3 cm (12³⁄₈ × 16 ₅⁄₈ inches) Signed lower right, Manzana. Executed circa 1910 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Lélia Pissarro. 42
G E O R G E S M A N Z A N A P I SS A R R O (1871 – 1961)
Femme au bord de la rivière Gouache, pastel and silver paint on paper 29.7 × 44.4 cm (11¾ × 17½ inches) Signed lower left, manzana. Pissarro. Executed circa 1910 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Lélia Pissarro. 43
G E O R G E S M A N Z A N A P I SS A R R O (1871 – 1961)
Baigneuses en Bord de Rivière Oil on cardboard 98.2 × 79.4 cm (38₅⁄₈ × 31¼ inches) Signed and dated lower left, Manzana 1910 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Lélia Pissarro. 44
G E O R G E S M A N Z A N A P I SS A R R O (1871 – 1961)
Baigneuses avec cygne Oil on panel 30 × 37.5 cm (11¾ × 14¾ inches) Signed lower right, manzana. Pissarro. Executed circa 1938 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Lélia Pissarro. 45
G E O R G E S M A N Z A N A P I SS A R R O (1871 – 1961)
La Plage aux Andelys Oil on board 23.7 × 32.9 cm (9¹⁄₃ × 13 inches) Signed lower left, Manzana Pissarro Executed circa 1930 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Lélia Pissarro. 46
G E O R G E S M A N Z A N A P I SS A R R O (1871 – 1961)
Les pêcheurs aux Andelys Gouache on cardboard 41 × 33 cm (16¹⁄₈ × 13 inches) Stamped lower right, manzana-Pissarro Exhibited Galerie Art en Seine - Normandie Impressionniste, Le Havre, Camille Pissarro et ses fils, 2016 Maison Ravier, Morestel, Roboa et Manzana Pissarro, un couple d’artiste, 2 April - 2 July 2017 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Lélia Pissarro. 47
G E O R G E S M A N Z A N A P I SS A R R O (1871 – 1961)
Le Chemin à l’Annonciade (Menton) Oil on board 55 × 46 cm (21₅⁄₈ × 18¹⁄₈ inches) Signed lower left, Manzana Pissarro Executed circa 1950s This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Lélia Pissarro. 48
G E O R G E S M A N Z A N A P I SS A R R O (1871 – 1961)
Vue de la Fenêtre de l'Artiste, Menton Carei sous la Neige Oil on board 45.8 × 54.8 cm (18 × 21₅⁄₈ inches) Signed and dated lower left, Manzana Pissarro 1955 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Lélia Pissarro. 49
G E O R G E S M A N Z A N A P I SS A R R O (1871 – 1961)
Peacocks Pochoir 31.3 × 49.5 cm (12¼ × 9½ inches) Signed with Estate stamp Manzana Pissarro and numbered 45/100 lower right
Magpie Pochoir 26.4 × 43.5 cm (10₃⁄₈ × 17₁⁄₈ inches) Signed with Estate stamp Manzana Pissarro and numbered 4/100 lower right 50
G E O R G E S M A N Z A N A P I SS A R R O (1871 – 1961)
Les cygnes Watercolour monotype 49 × 63 cm (19¼ × 24¾ inches) Signed lower left, manzana Executed circa 1920 51
F É L I X P I SS A R R O (1874 – 1897) Félix Pissarro, affectionately known to his family as “Titi”, was born in Pontoise in 1874, the year of the first Impressionist exhibition. The third son of Camille Pissarro, Félix was a painter, etcher and caricaturist. From an early age his work demonstrated great strength and originality, prompting his father to comment that, of all his artist sons, Félix showed undoubtedly the most talent and promise of becoming a major artist. Aged 12, while apprenticed to a cabinet maker, Félix much preferred to roam the local countryside of Éragny, sketching and painting horses, much to the despair of his mother but the joy of his father. As Camille noted, Félix showed an abiding fascination with and talent for drawing horses, which is amply reflected in the majority of Félix’s work appearing in the Ashmolean museum collection. Of all his brothers, Félix bonded most closely with Georges, despite their different personalities. Dividing their time principally between London and Éragny, they also visited and painted in Belgium and Barcelona. Their works were exhibited in the 1893 French Decorative Art exhibition, organised by Paul Durand-Ruel in his Grafton Gallery, London, and in 1894 in Paris for the opening of Lucien Moline’s Neo-Impressionist Gallery. Félix also travelled to Belgium with his father Camille, where, hosted by the Neo-Impressionist painter Théo van Rysselberghe, they visited galleries and museums and painted together. On Camille’s return to Paris Félix remained in Belgium, happily sketching and painting in what was a very productive period for him. He was joined in Brussels by Georges in October 1894 and they both exhibited works in the Libre Esthétique show of February 1895 before returning to London. The brothers also began focussing on applied arts, making decorated wooden boxes painted with unique designs. In December 1895 their work was exhibited in Paris at the debut show of Siegfried Bing’s Maison de l’Art. During this period both brothers adopted pseudonyms, Georges choosing Manzana, the maiden name of Camille’s mother, while Félix chose Jean Roch. A settled and productive spell which continued throughout 1896 was ended in March 1897 when Félix’s health began to fail, just as his brother Lucien, eleven years his senior, suffered a stroke. While Lucien would eventually recover, in one of life’s cruel ironies Félix succumbed to tuberculosis and died in November 1897, at the age of 23, before he was able to begin realising his full artistic potential. In a posthumous article, Octave Mirabeau lamented his untimely passing, attributing to him “uncommon talent, fervent imagination, originality, passion, vision, spontaneity and, above all, natural aptitude”, qualities which he was adamant would have made of Félix a truly great artist.
52
Champ au bord du village Oil on canvas 27 × 35 cm (10 ₅⁄₈ × 13¾ inches) Signed lower left, Felix Pissarro 53
F É L I X P I SS A R R O (1874 – 1897)
Portrait Pencil on paper 33.2 × 25 cm (13¹⁄₈ × 9 ₇⁄₈ inches) Signed with initials FP and dated 12 Mai 1889 54
F É L I X P I SS A R R O (1874 – 1897)
Landscape with Trees Pencil on paper 29 × 22.5 cm (11³⁄₈ × 8¾ inches) Signed & dated lower right, 10 October 1890 Félix Pissarro 55
F É L I X P I SS A R R O (1874 – 1897)
Les Chanteurs Charcoal and coloured crayon on paper 16.5 × 13.5 cm (6½ × 5¼ inches) Signed with monogram Executed circa 1892 56
F É L I X P I SS A R R O (1874 – 1897)
The Runaway Horse Ink and coloured crayon on paper 11.2 × 18.1 cm (4³⁄₈ × 7¹⁄₈ inches) Signed with initials, lower right Executed circa 1890 57
F É L I X P I SS A R R O (1874 – 1897)
L'Âne Charcoal on paper 24.5 × 31 cm (9 ₅⁄₈ × 12¼ inches) Monogrammed lower right, FP 58
F É L I X P I SS A R R O (1874 – 1897)
Paysage Pencil on paper 31.5 × 24.6 cm (12³⁄₈ × 9¾ inches) Monogrammed lower left, FP 59
L U D O V I C - R O D O P I SS A R R O (1878 – 1952) Ludovic-Rodolphe Pissarro, born in Paris in 1878, was Camille Pissarro’s fourth son. Encouraged by his father, he began drawing from nature at an early age. He was familiarly known as “Rodo” and generally signed his works "Ludovic-Rodo", or early on in his career simply "Rodo". The impact of Camille’s art and teaching on Rodo was considerable. His artistic production encompassed a wide range of media, including oil painting, tempera, watercolour, gouache, wood engraving, drawing and lithography. Rodo exhibited regularly at the Salon des Indépendants over a forty-year period. In 1894, at the age of sixteen, Rodo published his first wood engravings in the anarchist journal, Le Père Peinard. When Camille left France for the safety of Belgium during the anarchist upheavals of the same year, Rodo joined him there. Rodo moved into his first studio in Montmartre with his brother Georges in 1898. Works of this early important period until just after the death of his father in 1903 were post-impressionist and clearly painted under the influence of his father. By 1904 living in Paris, he found the nightlife and the habitués of the cafes, theatres, circuses and cabarets compelling subjects for his work and changed dramatically the style of his painting, affiliating himself to the Fauve artists. Rodo became close to artists such as Kees Van Dongen, Maurice de Vlaminck and Raoul Dufy. In 1905 he participated in the first Fauve exhibition at the Salon des Indépendants. In 1907 he visited Van Dongen in Rotterdam and the two artists continued to paint together, something they often did in Paris. In 1914 he married, though he never had children. Later that year at the outbreak of the War Rodo moved to England. Over the next seven years he lived mainly in and around West London. He worked closely with his brother Lucien to establish in 1915 the Monarro Group, formed with the aim of exhibiting work by contemporary artists inspired by Impressionism. Many of the works produced by Rodo while he was in England were of London landmarks but, he was also interested in the urbanisation of West London. After 1921, when Rodo had already returned to France, he divided his time between Paris and Les Andelys in Normandy, living and working closely with his elder bother Georges Manzana. Despite his rich artistic heritage and his achievements as an artist, Rodo is perhaps best remembered for his contribution to art history. For ten years he researched and compiled a catalogue of his father’s paintings – a project that was finally published in two volumes in 1939 and the first catalogue raisonné of Camille Pissarro’s paintings. Rodo enjoyed a rich career travelling extensively painting and exhibiting throughout Normandy, Brittany, Paris, London, the south coast of England, Jersey, Rotterdam, Germany, and Belgium. His works can be found in many museums including the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford and the Museum of Fine Art in Boston. 60
Le pont de Normandie Oil on canvas 38 × 46 cm (15 × 18¹⁄₈ inches) Signed and dated lower right, Rodolphe Pissarro 1899 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Lélia Pissarro. 61
L U D O V I C - R O D O P I SS A R R O (1878 – 1952)
Bretonne sous un Arbre Oil on cardboard 33 × 41 cm (13 × 16¹⁄₈ inches) Signed and dated lower right, Ludovic Rodo 1903 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Lélia Pissarro. 62
L U D O V I C - R O D O P I SS A R R O (1878 – 1952)
Berneval-sur-Mer Oil on canvas 27 × 35 cm (10 ₅⁄₈ × 13¾ inches) Stamped lower right, Ludovic Rodo. Executed circa 1900 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Lélia Pissarro. 63
L U D O V I C - R O D O P I SS A R R O (1878 – 1952)
Le Falstaff Oil on canvas 46.4 × 61 cm (18¼ × 24 inches) Signed lower right, Ludovic Rodo Titled on the reverse Executed circa 1910 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Lélia Pissarro. 64
L U D O V I C - R O D O P I SS A R R O (1878 – 1952)
Femme à la cravatte Oil on canvas 65 × 54 cm (25₅⁄₈ × 21¼ inches) Signed lower right, Ludovic Rodo Executed circa 1910 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Lélia Pissarro. 65
L U D O V I C - R O D O P I SS A R R O (1878 – 1952)
Cabaret Dancers Oil on panel 46 × 55 cm (18¹⁄₈ × 21₅⁄₈ inches) Signed lower left, Ludovic Rodo Executed circa 1906 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Lélia Pissarro. 66
L U D O V I C - R O D O P I SS A R R O (1878 – 1952)
Cabaret Dancers Oil on canvas 51.8 × 38 cm (20³⁄₈ × 15 inches) Signed lower left, Ludovic Rodo Executed circa 1906 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Lélia Pissarro. 67
L U D O V I C - R O D O P I SS A R R O (1878 – 1952)
Uxbridge Road, London Watercolour on paper 23.5 × 31 cm (9¼ × 12¼ inches) Titled and dated lower left; initialled and inscribed lower right, à Lucien Pissarro Executed in 1908 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Lélia Pissarro.
Broad Street Watercolour and pencil on paper 23.3 × 32.7 cm (9¹⁄₈ × 12₇⁄₈ inches) Signed, inscibed and dated 1923 lower left This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Lélia Pissarro. 68
L U D O V I C - R O D O P I SS A R R O (1878 – 1952)
The Old Inn, Ashford Oil on cardboard 34 × 46 cm (13¹⁄₈ × 18³⁄₈ inches) Signed lower right, titled and dated 1914 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Lélia Pissarro. 69
L U D O V I C - R O D O P I SS A R R O (1878 – 1952)
Nu au canapé bleu Oil on canvas 46 × 38 cm (18¹⁄₈ × 15 inches) Signed lower left, Ludovic Rodo Executed circa 1910 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Lélia Pissarro. 70
L U D O V I C - R O D O P I SS A R R O (1878 – 1952)
Living Room of the Artist Oil on panel 38.5 × 46.5 cm (15¹⁄₈ × 18¼ inches) Stamped lower right, Ludovic Rodo Estate stamp on the reverse Executed circa 1930 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Lélia Pissarro. 71
L U D O V I C - R O D O P I SS A R R O (1878 – 1952)
Les Andelys Watercolour and ink on paper 28 × 38 cm (11 × 15 inches) Inscribed, dated and signed lower left, Les Andelys 1927 Ludovic Rodo This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Lélia Pissarro.
La Seine aux Andelys Watercolour on paper 22 × 29 cm (8₅⁄₈ × 11³⁄₈ inches) Signed lower left, Ludovic Rodo Executed circa 1930 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Lélia Pissarro. 72
L U D O V I C - R O D O P I SS A R R O (1878 – 1952)
Moissonneurs à Blarimon Watercolour and ink on paper 26.4 × 37 cm (10³⁄₈ × 14₅⁄₈ inches) Signed lower left, Ludovic Rodo. Executed in 1931 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Lélia Pissarro. 73
PAU L É M I L E P I SS A R R O (1884 – 1972) Paulémile Pissarro, Camille Pissarro’s youngest son, was born in Éragny in 1884 where he was brought up within the creatively fertile environment of his family home and, encouraged by his father, began drawing at an early age. Paulémile’s godfather was Claude Monet, who became his teacher and legal guardian after Camille’s death in 1903. In 1905 Paulémile exhibited at the Salon des Indépendants for the first time. Although his father had supported Paulémile’s desire to be an artist, his mother was eager for him to learn a more practical trade. Therefore in 1908 he put aside his artistic pursuits to work as an automobile mechanic and test-driver, then later as a lace and textile designer, allowing him only a limited time to paint. Paulémile only fully dedicated himself to painting following a letter from his brother Lucien, who wrote to invite him to take part in an exhibition held in London. Subsequent to the successful sale of a number of watercolours he had sent over, the young artist became inspired to leave the textile factory and pursue a career in art. By the 1920s Paulémile had become an established PostImpressionist artist in his own right, spending the summer months escaping from Paris on painting trips with fellow artists Kees Van Dongen, Raoul Dufy, Maurice de Vlaminck and André Dunoyer de Segonzac. In 1922 Paulémile purchased a house in Lyons-la-Forêt, a small village within the region of his hometown of Éragny and Giverny, where he moved in with his first wife Berthe Bennaiche. During this time, he developed a form of Cubism inspired by Paul Cézanne whom he dearly admired, creating some wonderful paintings of the river Eure and its surrounding villages. There he formed a close friendship with his neighbour, the famous Art Deco designer Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann, who designed a stunning Art Deco studio for Paulémile adjacent to his house. In 1930 he visited and fell in love with the Swiss Normandy area in the Calvados region, in particular the River Orne which runs through the valley adjacent to the villages of Clécy and St. Remy. The combination of rolling hills, bold meadows and the calm river weaving its way through the landscape offered Paulémile a new burst of inspiration. With his second wife Yvonne Beaupel, Paulémile eventually moved to Clécy in 1935, where he would remain for the rest of his life. Of their three children, both H. Claude and Yvon also became artists. With his house backing on to the river Orne, Paulémile developed a new way of working using a boat as a floating studio, where he spent countless days painting the calm waters from between the riverbanks. Here the influence of his godfather Claude Monet became apparent, particularly in Paulémile’s depiction of water, which was revolutionised by the Impressionist icon. He also applied Monet’s lessons in horticulture to the creation of an abundant garden, offering him many more motifs for his new paintings. Alongside these river landscapes, he also painted the neighbouring hay fields, various snow scenes, some interiors and still lives. The most ambitious work in his oeuvre was a fresco painted on all four walls of his own dining room, depicting the adjacent river in which he includes family members, neighbours and friends. In 1967 Paulémile had his first one-man show in the United States at Wally Findlay Galleries in New York. This led to widespread recognition and a degree of professional success that few Pissarro artists knew during their lifetime. Since his death in 1972, Paulémile remains one of the best known of Camille’s sons.
74
Les Baigneuses Oil on canvas 89 × 118 cm (35 × 46½ inches) Signed and dated lower right, Paulémile - Pissarro. 1928. Exhibited Tel Aviv, Stern Gallery, Pissarro - The Four Generations, September - October 1994, no. 57 Tokyo, Isetan Museum of Art, Camille Pissarro & the Pissarro Family, March - April 1998, no. F23; this exhibition later travelled to Osaka, Daimairu Museum, Umeda and Fukuoka, Mitsukoshi Gallery This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity by Lélia Pissarro and will be included in the forthcoming Catalogue Raisonné. 75
PAU L É M I L E P I SS A R R O (1884 – 1972)
Le Pont du Vey Oil on canvas 46 × 55 cm (18¹⁄₈ × 21₅⁄₈ inches) Signed lower right, Paulémile. Pissarro. Executed circa 1935 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity by Lélia Pissarro and will be included in the forthcoming Catalogue Raisonné. 76
PAU L É M I L E P I SS A R R O (1884 – 1972)
Printemps Oil on canvas 60.6 × 73.2 cm (23 ₇⁄₈ × 28 ₇⁄₈ inches) Signed lower left Paulémile.Pissarro. Titled on the reverse Executed circa 1935 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity by Lélia Pissarro and will be included in the forthcoming Catalogue Raisonné. 77
PAU L É M I L E P I SS A R R O (1884 – 1972)
Bord de l'Orne Oil on canvas 46 × 61 cm (18¹⁄₈ × 24 inches) Signed lower left, Paulémile-Pissarro. Executed circa 1950 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity by Lélia Pissarro and will be included in the forthcoming Catalogue Raisonné. 78
PAU L É M I L E P I SS A R R O (1884 – 1972)
La Rivière Oil on canvas 92 × 73 cm (36¼ × 28¾ inches) Signed and dated lower left Paulémile Pissarro 1932 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity by Lélia Pissarro and will be included in the forthcoming Catalogue Raisonné. 79
PAU L É M I L E P I SS A R R O (1884 – 1972)
Le Coup de Vent Oil on canvas 65 × 92 cm (25₅⁄₈ × 36¼ inches) Signed lower left, Paulémile Pissarro; signed and titled on the reverse Executed circa 1940 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity by Lélia Pissarro and will be included in the forthcoming Catalogue Raisonné. 80
PAU L É M I L E P I SS A R R O (1884 – 1972)
La Rivière Orne et le Pain de Sucre Oil on canvas 54 × 65 cm (21 × 25₅⁄₈ inches) Signed lower right, Paulémile-Pissarro. Executed circa 1940 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity by Lélia Pissarro and will be included in the forthcoming Catalogue Raisonné. 81
PAU L É M I L E P I SS A R R O (1884 – 1972)
Paysage d'Hiver Oil on canvas 54 × 65 cm (21¼ × 25 ₅⁄₈ inches) Signed lower right, Paulémile - Pissarro. Signed and titled on the reverse Executed circa 1955 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity by Lélia Pissarro and will be included in the forthcoming Catalogue Raisonné. 82
PAU L É M I L E P I SS A R R O (1884 – 1972)
Neige à Clécy Oil on canvas 46 × 55 cm (18¹⁄₈ × 21³⁄₈ inches) Signed lower left, Paulémile.Pissarro. and titled on the reverse Executed circa 1960 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity by Lélia Pissarro and will be included in the forthcoming Catalogue Raisonné. 83
PAU L É M I L E P I SS A R R O (1884 – 1972)
Cour de Ferme Watercolour, ink and pencil on paper 24 × 32 cm (9½ × 12₅⁄₈ inches) Signed lower left, Paul-Emile Pissarro Executed circa 1920 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity by Lélia Pissarro. 84
PAU L É M I L E P I SS A R R O (1884 – 1972)
Promeneuse sur un chemin Watercolour on paper 30.5 × 34.5 cm (12 × 13 ₅⁄₈ inches) Signed lower left, Paul. Emile. PissarroExecuted circa 1922 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity by Lélia Pissarro. 85
PAU L É M I L E P I SS A R R O (1884 – 1972)
Scène de rivière, près de Lyons-la-Forêt Watercolour and crayon on paper 31 × 48 cm (12³⁄₈ × 19 inches) Signed lower left, Paulémile - Pissarro Executed circa 1920 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity by Lélia Pissarro. 86
PAU L É M I L E P I SS A R R O (1884 – 1972)
La Forêt de Lyons Watercolour and crayon on paper 48.4 × 31.5 cm (19 × 12³⁄₈ inches) Signed lower left, Paulémile Executed in 1927 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity by Lélia Pissarro. 87
PAU L É M I L E P I SS A R R O (1884 – 1972)
Le corp de ferme Watercolour, ink and charcoal on paper 29.7 × 46.8 cm (11¾ × 18³⁄₈ inches) Signed lower left, Paul-Emile Pissarro Executed circa 1918 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity by Lélia Pissarro. 88
PAU L É M I L E P I SS A R R O (1884 – 1972)
Sorel le 8 juillet 1931 Watercolour and crayon on paper 32.5 × 50.3 cm (12¾ × 19¾ inches) Signed lower right, Paulémile Executed 8th July 1931 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity by Lélia Pissarro. 89
PAU L É M I L E P I SS A R R O (1884 – 1972)
Les Deux Barques Watercolour and gouache on paper 25.5 × 32.5 cm (10 × 12¾ inches) Signed lower left, Paulémile-Pissarro Executed in the 1950s This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity by Lélia Pissarro. 90
PAU L É M I L E P I SS A R R O (1884 – 1972)
Montsouris Watercolour and pastel on paper 33 × 25 cm (13 × 9 ₇⁄₈ inches) Signed lower right, Paulémile -Pissarro. and titled lower left This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity by Lélia Pissarro. 91
PAU L É M I L E P I SS A R R O (1884 – 1972)
L'Église de Morgny-Eure Watercolour and black crayon on paper 31.5 × 43.5 cm (12³⁄₈ × 17¹⁄₈ inches) Signed lower right, Paulémile and dated, Morgny-Eure 1927 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity by Lélia Pissarro. 92
PAU L É M I L E P I SS A R R O (1884 – 1972)
Port de Honfleur Watercolour and crayon on paper 31.5 × 47.7 cm (12³⁄₈ × 18¾ inches) Signed lower left, Paulémile Pissarro Executed circa 1925 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity by Lélia Pissarro. 93
PAU L É M I L E P I SS A R R O (1884 – 1972)
River Eure, Lyons la Forêt Watercolour and crayon on paper 31.5 × 48.5 cm (12³⁄₈ × 19¹⁄₈ inches) Signed lower left, Paulémile Executed in 1927 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity by Lélia Pissarro. 94
PAU L É M I L E P I SS A R R O (1884 – 1972)
La Suisse Normandie en Automne Watercolour and pencil on paper 28 × 20 cm (11 × 7 ₇⁄₈ inches) Signed and titled lower left, Paulémile - Pissarro - automneExecuted circa 1930 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity by Lélia Pissarro. 95
O R O V I DA CA M I L L E P I SS A R R O (1893 – 1968) Orovida Camille Pissarro, Lucien and Esther Pissarro’s only child, was the first woman in the Pissarro family as well as the first of her generation to become an artist. Born in Epping, England in 1893, she lived and worked predominantly in London where she became a prominent member of several British arts clubs and societies. She first learned to paint in the Impressionist style of her father, but after a brief period of formal study with Walter Sickert in 1913 she renounced formal art schooling. Throughout her career, Orovida always remained outside of any mainstream British art movements. Much to Lucien's disappointment she soon turned away from naturalistic painting and developed her own unusual style combining elements of Japanese, Chinese, Persian and Indian art. Her rejection of Impressionism, which for the Pissarro family had become a way of life, together with the simultaneous decision to drop her famous last name and simply use Orovida as a ‘nom de peintre’, reflected a deep desire for independence and distance from the weight of the family legacy. Orovida's most distinctive and notable works were produced from the period of 1919 to 1939 using her own homemade egg tempera applied in thin, delicate washes to silk, linen or paper and sometimes embellished with brocade borders. These elegant and richly decorative works generally depict Eastern, Asian and African subjects, such as Mongolian horse-riders, tribal dancers and Persian princes, often engaged in dancing or hunting rituals. The second half of Orovida's painting career, however, is marked by a sudden and dramatic change in style and subject matter. Due to the outbreak of the Second World War, there was a shortage in eggs which led Orovida to take up oil painting. This change in medium led her to embrace contemporary subjects from everyday life, thus returning to a more naturalistic style. Orovida was a gifted printmaker and worked with etching, engraving and lithography. Also an accomplished draughtsman, Orovida would observe animals at the London Zoo which she then juxtaposed with images of the local people of the countries they originally inhabited. Throughout her career she created many etchings of which both the British and the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford have a large collection. The journey of Orovida’s career serves as a symbolic illustration of her relationship with her heritage. Her attempt to break away from tradition to find her own voice, only to return to her roots is apparent throughout her body of work which is emboldened by this journey. Towards the end of her life she was instrumental in developing the Pissarro family archive, established by her parents at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. Besides the Ashmolean museum her works can be found in many public collections throughout the UK. Orovida sadly never married or had children.
96
The Japanese Girl Watercolour on paper 17.78 × 12.7 cm (7 × 5 inches) Signed lower right, Orovida Executed circa 1920 97
O R O V I DA CA M I L L E P I SS A R R O (1893 – 1968)
Migration (The Horses) Egg tempera on linen, laid on board 76 × 101 cm (29 ₇⁄₈ × 39¾ inches) Signed and dated lower right, OROVIDA 1934 Exhibited Oxford, Ashmolean Museum, Orovida: 1893-1968, Memorial Exhibition, 4th-23rd February 1969, no. 260 London, The Leicester Galleries, Orovida, October-November 1973, no. 8 (titled The Horses)
Literature K L Erickson, Orovida Pissarro: Painter and Print-Maker with A Catalogue Raisonné of Paintings, (doctoral thesis), Oxford, 1992, Appendices, no. 49, p. 54 (illustrated) 98
O R O V I DA CA M I L L E P I SS A R R O (1893 – 1968)
Exercising Ponies Oil on board 101.5 × 76 cm (40 × 30 inches) Signed and dated lower right, OROVIDA 1954
Fort Lauderdale, Museum of Art, Camille Pissarro and his Descendants, January-April 2000, no.123
Literature Exhibited London, Bowmore Gallery, Women in Art 1850-1989, 2nd-11th November 1989
K L Erickson, Orovida Pissarro: Painter and Print-Maker with A Catalogue Raisonné of Paintings, (doctoral thesis), Oxford, 1992, Appendices, no. 161 (illustrated) 99
O R O V I DA CA M I L L E P I SS A R R O (1893 – 1968)
The Cattery Oil and pencil on canvas 61 × 51 cm (24 × 20¹⁄₈ inches) Signed and dated upper right, OROVIDA 1964
21st September-19th October 1977, no. 21 (possibly; titled Cats) London, The Leicester Galleries, Paintings & Etchings by Orovida, 4th-27th February 1965, no. 46 (possibly)
Literature Exhibited London, New Grafton Gallery, Orovida Pissarro and her Ancestors: Lucien & Camille, 100
K L Erickson, Orovida Pissarro: Painter and Print-Maker with A Catalogue Raisonné of Paintings, (doctoral thesis), Oxford, 1992, Appendices, no. 212 (illustrated)
O R O V I DA CA M I L L E P I SS A R R O (1893 – 1968)
Tiger Surprises Black Buck Oil on canvas 127 × 101.5 cm (50 × 40 inches) Signed and dated lower left OROVIDA 1960
Colchester, The Minories, 3rd- 24th March 1962 London, The Leicester Galleries, 1965, no. 37
Exhibited
Literature
London, Royal Society of British Artists, 3rd-25th November 1960, no. 82 (possibly; titled Tiger Entangled) London, Royal Academy, 1961, no. 534
K L Erickson, Orovida Pissarro: Painter and Print-Maker with A Catalogue Raisonné of Paintings, (doctoral thesis), Oxford, 1992, Appendices, no. 195 (illustrated) 101
O R O V I DA CA M I L L E P I SS A R R O (1893 – 1968)
A Game of Cards Oil on canvas 59 × 72 cm (23¼ × 28³⁄₈ inches) Signed and titled upper right Orovida 1949 Exhibited Women’s International Art Club, 7-8 April 1951, no. 143 102
London, Redfern Gallery, Recent Paintings: Orovida, 3rd-26th January 1952, no. 43 Colchester, The Minories, 3rd-24th March 1962, no. 10
Literature K L Erickson, Orovida Pissarro: Painter and Print-Maker with A Catalogue Raisonné of Paintings, (doctoral thesis), Oxford, 1992, Appendices, no. 124, p. 129 (illustrated)
O R O V I DA CA M I L L E P I SS A R R O (1893 – 1968)
Portrait of a Woman Egg tempera on silk laid down on stretched linen 47.6 × 37 cm (18¾ × 14₅⁄₈ inches) Signed and dated upper right, OROVIDA 1936 103
O R O V I DA CA M I L L E P I SS A R R O (1893 – 1968)
The Fortune Teller Oil on canvas 60 × 73 cm (23₅⁄₈ × 28¾ inches) Signed and dated upper right OROVIDA 1950 Exhibited London, Royal Society of British Artists, Winter 1950, no. 374 104
Literature K L Erickson, Orovida Pissarro: Painter and Print-Maker with A Catalogue Raisonné of Paintings, (doctoral thesis), Oxford, 1992, Appendices, no. 139 (illustrated)
O R O V I DA CA M I L L E P I SS A R R O (1893 – 1968)
Ice Cream Picnic Oil on board 101 × 76 cm (39¾ × 29 ₇⁄₈ inches) Signed and dated lower left Orovida 1953
Royal Society of British Artists, 13th September-8th October 1955, no. 339 Colchester, The Minories, 3rd-24th March 1962, no. 14
Exhibited
Literature
Royal Society of British Artists Galleries, Sixteen "One Man Shows", 10th September- 3rd October 1953, no. 181
K L Erickson, Orovida Pissarro: Painter and Print-Maker with A Catalogue Raisonné of Paintings, (doctoral thesis), Oxford, 1992, Appendices, no. 156 (illustrated) 105
O R O V I DA CA M I L L E P I SS A R R O (1893 – 1968)
Siamese Cat with Kittens Egg tempera on linen 39 × 48 cm (15³⁄₈ × 18₇⁄₈ inches) Signed lower right, OROVIDA and dated lower left, 1934
London, The Royal Society of British Artists, Summer Exhibition, 1947, no. 281 (possibly the etching) London, O’Hana Gallery, Paintings, Drawings and Coloured Etchings: Orovida, 3rd-18th October 1957, no. 13
Exhibited London, The Leicester Galleries, Paintings by Orovida, February 1935, no. 6 Women’s International Art Club, 20th February - 13th March 1937, no. 273 London, Redfern Gallery, Ten Years of Work by Orovida, 5th-28th May 1938, no. 7 106
Literature K L Erickson, Orovida Pissarro: Painter and Print-Maker with A Catalogue Raisonné of Paintings, (doctoral thesis), Oxford, 1992, Appendices, no. 51, p. 56 (illustrated)
O R O V I DA CA M I L L E P I SS A R R O (1893 – 1968)
Dinka with a Bongo Egg tempera on linen, laid on board 85 × 62.3 cm (33½ × 24½ inches) Signed and dated lower right, OROVIDA 1937 Exhibited
Literature
London, Redfern Gallery, Summer Salon, 5th August - 25th September 1937, no. 12, London, Royal Academy, 1966, no. 728
K L Erickson, Orovida Pissarro: Painter and Print-Maker with A Catalogue Raisonné of Paintings, (doctoral thesis), Oxford, 1992, Appendices, no. 69, p. 73-74 (illustrated) 107
O R O V I DA CA M I L L E P I SS A R R O (1893 – 1968)
Bonfire, Jubilee Night Egg tempera on linen 86 × 111 cm (33 ₇⁄₈ × 43¾ inches) Signed and dated lower left, OROVIDA 1936 Exhibited Tokyo, Isetan Museum of Art; Osaka, Daimaru Museum; Fukuoka, Mitsukoshi Gallery; Mie, Prefectural Art Museum; Yamaguchi, Prefectural Museum of Art, Camille Pissarro & The Pissarro Family, March-August 1998, no. F32
Literature K L Erickson, Orovida Pissarro: Painter and Print-Maker with A Catalogue Raisonné of Paintings, (doctoral thesis), Oxford, 1992, Appendices, no. 62 (illustrated) 108
O R O V I DA CA M I L L E P I SS A R R O (1893 – 1968)
Winter (The Skaters) Egg tempera on linen 91.5 × 114.3 cm (36 × 45 inches) Signed and dated lower left, OROVIDA 1936-38 Exhibited London, Redfern Gallery, Ten Years of Work by Orovida, 5th-28th May 1938, no. 17 London, The Leicester Galleries, Orovida, October- November 1973, no. 13 London, Portland Gallery, Four Generations of the Pissarro Family, June - July 1993, no. 75 (illustrated)
Literature K L Erickson, Orovida Pissarro: Painter and Print-Maker with A Catalogue Raisonné of Paintings, (doctoral thesis), Oxford, 1992, Appendices, no. 77 (illustrated) 109
O R O V I DA CA M I L L E P I SS A R R O (1893 – 1968)
Man & Beast Etching 27 × 22 cm (10 ₅⁄₈ × 8 ₅⁄₈ inches) Signed and dated lower right, orovida 1924 Inscribed lower left, Final state no 12/40 and titled lower centre 110
O R O V I DA CA M I L L E P I SS A R R O (1893 – 1968)
Ceremonial Dance Etching 19.2 × 24.8 cm (7½ × 9¾ inches) Signed and dated lower right Orovida 1927 Inscribed lower left, Final state no. 12/35 and titled lower middle 111
O R O V I DA CA M I L L E P I SS A R R O (1893 – 1968)
Peccarys and Tiger Pranks Etching and aquatint 31.5 × 23 cm (12³⁄₈ × 9 inches) Signed and dated lower right, Orovida 1925 Inscribed lower left, Final state no. 8/30 and titled lower middle 112
O R O V I DA CA M I L L E P I SS A R R O (1893 – 1968)
Zebra and Foal Etching 20 × 17.3 cm (7 ₇⁄₈ × 6¾ inches) Signed and dated lower right, Orovida 1938 Titled lower middle and numbered 4/50 lower right 113
H U G U E S P I SS A R R O D I T P O M I É (b. 1935)
Hugues Claude Pissarro, also known professionally as H. Claude Pissarro, is the grandson of the Impressionist painter Camille Pissarro and son of Paulémile Pissarro. Born in Neuilly-sur-Seine and enveloped in an artistic environment, he inevitably spent his childhood and youth with brushes in hand. Carrying on the family tradition established by Camille Pissarro, H. Claude’s father frequently took his son on painting excursions, often accompanied by his numerous artistic friends which proved formative for him. Initially taught by his father, Hugues first exhibited his work at the age of fourteen. He subsequently studied art in Paris at prestigious establishments, in particular the École Normale Supérieure, a unique French institution dedicated to the pursuit of achievement and excellence to which only the academic elite have access. He also studied art restoration under Henri Linard, head of the laboratory at the Musée du Louvre. It was inevitable that this educational background would lead him to become a professor of art for much of his professional life and in 1963 he accepted an official invitation to teach art in Monaco. Throughout his teaching career he remained a prolific artist, exhibiting on several occasions in Paris and London. As with many of his family predecessors the scope of his work and talent is wide-ranging: from engraver, lithographer, publisher and landscape painter to portraitist. He was even commissioned in 1959 to paint a portrait of President Eisenhower. Hugues’ work has evolved through a variety of different styles and techniques, including figurative works in the 1960s, moving dramatically in the ‘70s into conceptual art, then abstract and minimalist art. He finally returned to figurative art from the ‘80s onwards using the pseudonym of Isaac Pomié, working with tubes of paint directly on the canvas and using his fingers. From around 1990 until now his subjects are drawn mainly from his surroundings: first Arromanches and the Normandy coast, then from 1992 painting also in Ireland where he still lives today. Throughout his career his work has been exhibited in many museums, shows and galleries around the world and it is amazing to see that in his 85th year he remains as active as ever, painting with passion and determination in what is for him a way of life. 114
Jo & Jimmy Gallaher Farm and Upper Clendra Oil on canvas 97 × 130 cm (38¼ × 51¹⁄₈ inches) Signed lower right, Hugues Pissarro dit Pomié Dated and inscribed on the reverse, AUTOMNE 2019 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from the artist. 115
H U G U E S P I SS A R R O D I T P O M I É (b. 1935)
Camille - Le quai jaune Oil on canvas 130 × 195 cm (51¹⁄₈ × 76¾ inches) Signed lower right, Claude Pissarro. Executed in May 1990 Exhibited Bayeux, Musée de Bayeux, Claude Pissarro, 1990, p.3 (illustrated) This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from the artist. 116
H U G U E S P I SS A R R O D I T P O M I É (b. 1935)
La Falaise Oil on canvas 130 × 97 cm (51¼ × 38¼ inches) Signed lower right, Hugues Pissarro dit Pomié Dated and inscribed on the reverse, Septembre/Octobre 2016 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from the artist. 117
H U G U E S P I SS A R R O D I T P O M I É (b. 1935)
Pignon Bleu - Mareil Oil on canvas 130 × 162 cm (51¹⁄₈ × 63¾ inches) Dated, 1994 on reverse This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from the artist. 118
H U G U E S P I SS A R R O D I T P O M I É (b. 1935)
Les petits lapins de Richard Oil on canvas 130 × 195 cm (51¹⁄₈ × 76¾ inches) Signed lower right, Claude Pissarro. Signed, titled and dated 1990 on the reverse This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from the artist. 119
H U G U E S P I SS A R R O D I T P O M I É (b. 1935)
Nu Debout Oil on canvas 92 × 65 cm (36¼ × 25₅⁄₈ inches) Signed lower right, Hugues Pissarro. Dated on the reverse, Monte-Carlo 1963 and inscribed, Hugues Pissarro - 6 Rue de l’Eglise - Principauté de Monaco This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from the artist. 120
H U G U E S P I SS A R R O D I T P O M I É (b. 1935)
Bouquet Oil on canvas 80 × 40 cm (31½ × 15¾ inches) Signed lower right, Hugues Pissarro Executed circa 1959-60 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from the artist. 121
H . C L AU D E P I SS A R R O (b. 1935) Hugues Claude Pissarro, also known professionally as H. Claude Pissarro, is the grandson of the Impressionist painter Camille Pissarro and son of Paulémile Pissarro. Born in Neuilly-sur-Seine and enveloped in an artistic environment, he inevitably spent his childhood and youth with brushes in hand. Carrying on the family tradition established by Camille Pissarro, H. Claude’s father frequently took his son on painting excursions, often accompanied by his numerous artistic friends which proved formative for him. Initially taught by his father, H. Claude first exhibited his work at the age of fourteen. He subsequently studied art in Paris at prestigious establishments, in particular the École Normale Supérieure, a unique French institution dedicated to the pursuit of achievement and excellence to which only the academic elite have access. He also studied art restoration under Henri Linard, head of the laboratory at the Musée du Louvre. It was inevitable that this educational background would lead him to become a professor of art for much of his professional life and in 1963 he accepted an official invitation to teach art in Monaco. Throughout his teaching career he remained a prolific artist, exhibiting on several occasions in Paris and London. As with many of his family predecessors, the scope of his work and talent is wide-ranging: from engraver, lithographer, publisher and landscape painter to portraitist. He was even commissioned in 1959 to paint a portrait of President Eisenhower. H. Claude’s work has evolved through a variety of different styles and techniques, including abstract, avant-garde, minimalist and conceptual art. However, he is now perhaps best known for his Post-Impressionist-style works, which have been exhibited throughout the world since 1985. Son of Paulémile and grandson of Camille Pissarro, H. Claude’s work reflects influences from wider sources within postimpressionism. His use of pastels gives his work a unique feel, one not replicated by any other artist, perhaps because these works are so labour intensive. Although H. Claude has been living in Ireland for almost thirty years, his subjects are drawn largely from his native France, a country where beauty can be found wherever you look: French villages, landscapes, river scenes, coastal views and urban scenes, with the works of Paris being probably his most collectable subject. Occasionally he is tempted by Venice or London, two cities he loves. In these post-impressionist works, his aim is to capture the romantic past, a world which no longer exists, where horses and carts thronged the streets and cars were a new invention. His figures are dressed in 19th-century fashion and so we are taken on a journey back in time. H. Claude’s work has been collected throughout the world and it is amazing to see that in his 85th year he remains as active as ever, painting with passion and determination in what is for him a way of life.
122
Moisson à Saint-Omer Oil on canvas 65 × 54 cm (25₅⁄₈ × 21¼ inches) Signed lower left, H. Claude Pissarro Signed and titled on the reverse This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from the artist. 123
H . C L AU D E P I SS A R R O (b. 1935)
Les Jardins de Monte-Carlo Pastel on card 37 × 51 cm (14₅⁄₈ × 20¹⁄₈ inches) Signed lower right, H. Claude Pissarro This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from the artist. 124
H . C L AU D E P I SS A R R O (b. 1935)
Les Équipages de l'Allée Acacias Pastel on card 37 × 51 cm (14₅⁄₈ × 20¹⁄₈ inches) Signed lower left, H. Claude Pissarro This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from the artist. 125
H . C L AU D E P I SS A R R O (b. 1935)
Les Peupliers de Béthunes Oil on canvas 50 × 61 cm (19¾ × 24 inches) Signed lower left, H. Claude Pissarro This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from the artist. 126
H . C L AU D E P I SS A R R O (b. 1935)
Le Petit Pont des Deux Louises, Oussy (Seine et Marne) Oil on canvas 50 × 61 cm (19¾ × 24 inches) Signed lower left, H. Claude Pissarro This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from the artist. 127
H . C L AU D E P I SS A R R O (b. 1935)
Robes Blanches à Trouville Pastel on card 37 × 51 cm (14₅⁄₈ × 20¹⁄₈ inches) Signed lower left, H. Claude Pissarro This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from the artist. 128
H . C L AU D E P I SS A R R O (b. 1935)
Midi Piccadilly (Londres Royaume Uni) Pastel on card 37 × 51 cm (14₅⁄₈ × 20¹⁄₈ inches) Signed lower left, H. Claude Pissarro This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from the artist. 129
Y V O N P I SS A R R O (b. 1937) The son of Paulémile and grandson of Camille Pissarro, Yvon Pissarro was born in December 1937. At a very early age, his independent spirit and readiness to criticise made him a rebel who did not want to obey the orders of his family. His parents, concerned for his future, wanted to steer him towards a stable, safe career. Although he had no definite plans, this prospect did not fill him with much enthusiasm. It was during adolescence, when he had left the family home in Normandy, that he decided to enter the Académie Julian to study drawing and the history of art. He also attended the Paris City Council evening classes in arts and crafts skills. In the hope that he would quickly abandon this path, his reluctant parents gave only sparing help, but he kept himself going with casual short-term jobs. In fact, without really being aware of it, he was preparing himself for a future that would often prove difficult, even uncertain, moving between odd jobbing for survival and drawing for pleasure. During national service he became friendly with the poet James Sacré. On his return to civilian life he spent time at his parents’ home in order to readjust to being free. He took advantage of this period of freedom to produce and print - using his father’s line engraving press - around fifteen woodcuts for a collection of poems by James Sacré, La Transparence du Pronom ‘Elle’ (Transparency of the Pronoun ’She’). It was at this point that he decided to abandon his burdensome family name, choosing as a pseudonym the name of a hamlet, Vey, where his brother Hugues rented a house. Some years later he realised that Vey is an anagram of the forename Yves, of which Yvon is a diminutive form. Several consecutive summers were spent at his cousin Orovida’s home in London, where he visited the museums more than the classes he was supposed to be attending in order to learn English. He also spent time in Italy where he discovered in wonderment the landscapes, the towns and their works of art. Despite the tendency of the age to desert the techniques of the past built around the concept of a craftsman and his skill, like so many artists before him, Yvon devoted himself to drawing. He did not mind that for some it was a sterile repetition of what artists used to do. Yvon knew he was taking a chance in persisting, if in a rather fatalistic way, with this passion. In his keenness to master the skills of the past and muster them against the objections of the critics and works of his contemporaries, he covered large sheets of white paper with pencil drawings. Moreover, he did not feel alone. Having settled in Nice, he joined others in the south of France who specialised in drawing, in order to mount an exhibition under the leadership of Dany Bloch, a curator of the Paris Musée d’Art Moderne. Due to family reasons Yvon stopped drawing for more than a decade. Since leaving Nice, he has lived in a village near Montpellier where he continues to dedicate his life to his art.
130
Indifference Conté chalk and pastel pencil on paper 50.3 × 64 cm (19¾ × 25¼ inches) Signed lower right, y. vey 131
Y V O N P I SS A R R O (b. 1937)
Voisinage Conté chalk and pastel pencil on paper 48.8 × 64 cm (19¼ × 25¼ inches) Signed lower right, y. vey 132
Y V O N P I SS A R R O (b. 1937)
Evasion Conté chalk, crayon and pastel pencil on paper 65 × 50 cm (25₅⁄₈ × 25¾ inches) Signed twice, y. vey 133
Y V O N P I SS A R R O (b. 1937)
Abandon Conté chalk on paper 50 × 65 cm (19¾ × 25₅⁄₈ inches) Signed centre right, y. vey 134
Y V O N P I SS A R R O (b. 1937)
Waves Conté chalk on paper 70 × 100 cm (27½ × 39³⁄₈ inches) Signed and dated Yvon Pissarro 1986 135
L É L I A P I SS A R R O (b. 1963) Born in Paris in 1963, Lélia is the third and youngest child of Hugues-Claude and Katia Pissarro. She was raised, however, in the loving care of her grandparents Paulémile Pissarro, Camille’s youngest son, and his wife Yvonne, in Clécy, Normandy. From a young age, Lélia’s interest in drawing and painting was nurtured by her grandfather while she sat beside him at his easel, captivated. He taught her the fundamental Impressionist and PostImpressionist techniques he had learnt from his father and brothers before him and watched as her skills blossomed rapidly. Standing readily on the shoulders of giants, Lélia sold her first painting to New York art dealer Wally Findlay, when she was only four years of age. When Lélia turned 11 she moved to Paris to live with her parents where, with the guiding support of her father’s teachings she began to broaden her skill sets. Under the watchful eye of her father Hughes Claude Pissarro, she became exposed to new environments and learnt to experiment with abstract styles and subjects. At age 14 Lélia submitted some of these works to the exhibition ‘Salon de la Jeune Peinture’ at the Luxembourg Museum in Paris. Being underage, however, she had to submit these works secretly under the pseudonym Rachel Manzana Pomié. With her parents dividing their time between France and California, Lélia found herself moving between Tours, Paris and San Francisco, all the while studying fine art and psychology at the University des Beaux Arts. She eventually settled in Paris to teach art at the Moria School and study oil painting conservation under the guidance of a teacher from the Louvre museum. During this time she began to present her work in solo exhibitions in Paris, Lyon, Mulhouse and Rennes. In 1988 Lélia married English art dealer David Stern and moved to London. Their three children Kalia, Lyora and Dotahn, all paved their own way in the art world. From 1995 Lélia participated in a series of exhibitions entitled Pissarro – The Four Generations, which were held in galleries in London, Tel Aviv, Boston, Austin, San Francisco, Cleveland, Milwaukee and Los Angeles as well as a number of museums in Japan in 1998 and the Museum of Art in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 2000. In 1999 Lélia also became one of the founders of the Sorteval Press, a group of artists dedicated to developing techniques in etching and printmaking. Their first exhibition took place at the Mall Gallery in London. In 2005 following a long break in painting because of cancer, Lélia started a journey into modern art creating a number of different series: Circles, Shoes, Animals, exploring these until she reached the point of abstraction and minimalism. Developing innovative techniques, she began incorporating in her work new materials such as gold, wax and encaustic paint. To coincide with a major exhibition at Stern Pissarro gallery in 2010 a book entitled The Colours of Silence was published on her entire career, documenting the steps in Lélia’s life story while offering a retrospective view of her works which amply attest to her artistic diversity and sustained spirit of adventure. Working today from her London studio located by Richmond Park and the river Thames, Lélia upholds the legacy of painting en plein-air while simultaneously continuing to explore modern techniques. She works dedicatedly on a selection of different series all born out of her home studio - a carefully crafted space designed to meet her evolving requirements. Besides her work as a painter, today Lélia is also a partner in Stern Pissarro Gallery and is the official expert for the work of her grandfather Paulémile Pissarro, as well her great uncles Manzana and Ludovic Rodo Pissarro. Amidst all this, Lélia still finds a way to make time to devote herself to another great passion, teaching. 136
Water lilies at Giverny Oil on canvas 114 × 146 cm (44₇⁄₈ × 57½ inches) Signed lower right, Lélia Pissarro Executed in 2021 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from the artist. 137
L É L I A P I SS A R R O (b. 1963)
The Path to Freedom Oil on canvas 65 × 50 cm (25₅⁄₈ × 19¾ inches) Signed lower right Lélia Pissarro Executed in 2020 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from the artist. 138
L É L I A P I SS A R R O (b. 1963)
Elusive Empress of Nocturnal Skies Oil on canvas 114 × 146 cm (44₇⁄₈ × 57½ inches) Signed lower right, Lélia Pissarro Signed and titled on the reverse Literature Lélia Pissarro, The Colours of Silence, London, 2010, pp. 16 – 17 (illustrated) This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from ther artist. 139
L É L I A P I SS A R R O (b. 1963)
Gold Fingers #Drake Acrylic and gold powder on canvas 190.5 × 130.5 cm (75 × 51₃⁄₈ inches) Executed in 2018 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from the artist. 140
L É L I A P I SS A R R O (b. 1963)
"Elle va me Faire Tourner en Bourrique" Hommage to my Grandmother Acrylic and gold powder on canvas 150 × 100 cm (59 × 39₃⁄₈ inches) Signed, Lélia Pissarro, dated and inscribed on the reverse,
Ladywood House, Coombe, Kingston Executed in 2018 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from the artist. 141
LYO RA P I SS A R R O (b. 1991)
Lyora Pissarro is renowned for her playful depiction of landscapes featuring bright, geometric forms. The artist describes her works as creative journeys: “often winding, mostly enchanting and hopefully uplifting”. As a direct descendant of the Impressionist Camille Pissarro, Lyora embraces her artistic heritage which is rooted in painting. Breaking away from the traditional Impressionist techniques, Lyora’s geometric paintings experiment with chromatic conventions and often defy the laws of gravity. Rivers run poppy red, skies fall in gradient shards of lavender and striped orbs levitate mid canvas where one might expect to see a sun or moon. Whereas the Impressionists explored the optical effect of changing light on a landscape, her Mindscapes series explores how painting can capture the mind itself when enlightened. In deconstructing the typical horizon line, Lyora’s works posit a new topography that is both monumental and whimsical, substantial and dreamlike, balanced and surprising. Currently based between New York and London, Lyora completed her formal education at Hunter College in NYC, after doing her foundation year at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). Described as the “ultimate young painter” in GQ magazine, Lyora Pissarro has held exhibitions in New York, Texas, and Boston, her work is also exhibited in San Francisco and London. 142
Awareness is the Point of Change Oil on board framed with LED lights Diameter:116.84 cm (46 inches) Signed on the reverse Executed in January 2020 This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from the artist. 143
STERN PISSARRO GALLERY www.pissarro.art T:+44 (0)207 629 6662 144