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An image of Peasants' houses, Eragny by Camille Pissarro

Camille Pissarro

(France 1830–1903)

Title
Peasants' houses, Eragny
Alternative title:
Maisons de paysans, Eragny La Chaumière
Year
1887
Media category
Painting
Materials used
oil on canvas
Dimensions

59.0 x 71.7cm stretcher; 83.0 x 96.6 x 11.0cm frame

Signature & date
Signed and dated l.l., oil "C. Pissarro 1887".
Credit
Purchased 1935
Accession number
6326
Location
Modern gallery
Further information

Between 1884 and 1888 Pissarro experimented with the pointillist method of the younger Seurat. For an avowed anarchist it was perhaps no great step, but in art-historical terms Pissarro's stylistic shift, however momentary, coincided with the end of impressionism's avant-garde ascendancy. 'Peasants' houses, Eragny' was painted during this fascinating interlude. Pissarro has fully absorbed the tenets and techniques of the distinctive style. Form is constructed by discrete juxtaposition of individual strokes, or 'dots', of pigment. Atmosphere is suggested by chromatic scintillation. Surface is treated as a single unity. The mechanical effect which can deaden pointillist painting is obviated by Pissarro's acute sense of the internal dynamics of design. The cast shadows intruding from the right are deliberately naive; this was to be an important innovation for the younger generation of post-impressionists such as Gauguin and Cezanne.

AGNSW Handbook, 1999.

Provenance (9)

Society of Artists (Australia, estab. 1895, closed 1965), 30 Sep 1935, Sydney/New South Wales/Australia, Purchased by the AGNSW from the New South Wales Society of Artists 1935. Purchased from the annual exhibition of the New South Wales Society of Artists, 6 September - 4 October 1935, the NSW Society of Artists were acting as Sydney agents for Alex Reid & Lefevre.

The Lefevre Gallery (England, estab. 1926, closed 2002), 25 Nov 1934-30 Sep 1935, London/England, Purchased by Alex Reid & Lefevre, London from CW Kraushaar Galleries, 25 November 1934.

Kraushaar Galleries (United States of America), pre 25 Nov 1934, New York/New York/United States of America, Sold to Alex Reid & Lefevre, 25 November 1934

Étienne Bignou, Paris (France), 1934, Paris/France, [dealer] lent to the exhibition 'French painting of the Nineteenth Century' touring Canada, January - March 1934. Etienne Bignou was closely connected with Alex Reid & Lefevre, London.

André Portier (France), post 10 Jun 1896, Paris/France, Purchased by Portier at Hôtel Drouot, 10 June 1896, hors catalogue

Hôtel Drouot (France), 10 Jun 1896, Paris/France

Durand-Ruel, Paris (France, estab. 1833), post 13 May 1891, Paris/France, [dealer] purchased 13 May 1891 as 'Paysage', stock no. 962

M. Dupuis (France), post 20 Mar 1888, Paris/France, [dealer] purchased by Dupuis from Goupil - Boussod et Valadon, 20 March 1888

Galerie Goupil - Boussod et Valadon (France, estab. 1827, closed 1919), 18 Mar 1888-20 Mar 1888, Paris/France, Purchased from the artist by Theo van Gogh for Galerie Goupil-Boussod et Valadon, Paris

Bibliography (27)

Marina Ferretti Bocquillon (Author), Radiance: The Neo-Impressionists, Melbourne, 2012, 30, 31 (colour illus.).

Clare A.P. Willsdon (Author), Jardines Impresionistas, 2010, 156, 163 (colour illus.). cat.no.46

Karen Levitov (Author), Richard Shiff, Camille Pissarro: impressions of city and country, 2007, 10 (colour illus.). fig.8

Terence Maloon (Australia) (Editor), Camille Pissarro, 2005, 149, 151 (colour illus.). cat.no. 52

Ted Gott (Australia) (Author), The Impressionists: masterpieces from the Musée d'Orsay, Sydney, 2004, 90, 91 (colour illus.).

Bruce James (Australia) (Author), Edmund Capon (England; Australia, b.1940) (Director), Art Gallery of New South Wales handbook, Domain, 1999, 48 (colour illus.).

Donald Williams (Australia) (Author), Barbara Wilson (Australia) (Author), From Caves to Canvas: An Introduction to Western Art (Second edition), Sydney, 1998, 187 (colour illus.).

Martha Ward, Pissarro, Neo-impressionism, and the spaces of the avant-garde, 1996, 271. PV 710

Ewen McDonald (Australia) (Editor), The Art Gallery of New South Wales collections, Sydney, 1994, 138 (colour illus.).

Judith Ryan (Australia, b.1941) (Editor), Shell presents Van Gogh: his sources, genius and influence, Sydney, 1993, 56, 57 (colour illus.). cat.no. 23

Donald Williams (Australia) (Author), Barbara Wilson (Australia) (Author), From Caves to Canvas: An Introduction to Western Art, Sydney, 1992, 187 (colour illus.).

Annabel Davie (Editor), Art Gallery of New South Wales Handbook, Domain, 1988, 48, 50 (illus.).

Musee D'Orsay (France) (Author), Van Gogh at Paris, 1988, (illus.).

Editor Unknown (Editor), Retrospective Camille Pissarro, Japan, 1984, (colour illus.). cat.no. 42

'French Impressions' by Ross Steele pg. 87-93, Art and Australia (Vol. 22, No. 1) Spring 1984, Spring 1984, 91 (colour illus.).

Edmund Capon (England; Australia, b.1940) (Editor), Jan Meek (Australia) (Editor), Portrait of a Gallery, Sydney, 1984, 94 (colour illus.).

'Camille Pissarro 1830-1903. Peasants' Houses, Eragny. 1887' by Alan Krell, pg. 1-3., Art Gallery of New South Wales Collection Series 4 Winter 1983, Winter 1983, 1 (illus.), 1-3.

Article by J. Rewald, pg. 65-108, Gazette des Beaux-Arts, 81 1973, 1973.

Editor Unknown (Editor), Art Gallery of New South Wales picturebook, Domain, 1972, 33 (colour illus.).

R.L. Herbert (Author), Neo-Impressionism, New York, 1968, 81.

Queensland Art Gallery (Australia, estab. 1895) (Author), French Art from Australian collections, Brisbane, 1959, (illus.).

National Art Gallery of New South Wales (Australia, estab. 1874), An exhibition of French art, Sydney, 1944. cat. no. 124

Frank Rutter (b.1876, d.1947) (Author), Modern masterpieces, London, 1940s, (colour illus.).

Ludovic Pissarro (Author), Lionello Venturi (Author), Camille Pissarro, Son Art - Son Oeuvre, Paris, 1939, Vol. 1, 181; Vol. 2, 148 (illus.). cat.no. 710, as 'Maisons de paysans, Eragny'.

Exhibition of Society of Artists 1935, 1935, (illus.). cat.no. 144, as 'La Chaumiere'.

W Scott & Sons (Canada), French Paintings by the Impressionists and Modern Artists, Montreal, 1934. cat.no. 5, as 'La Chaumiere' lent by Alex Reid & Lefevre

National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa (Canada), French painting of the Nineteenth Century, Montreal, 1934. cat.no. 89, as 'Paysage'

Exhibition history (18)

Oeuvres récentes de C. Pissarro, Boussod, Valadon & Co, Feb 1890–Feb 1890.

French painting of the Nineteenth Century, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Jan 1934–Jan 1934.

French painting of the Nineteenth Century, The Art Gallery of Toronto, Feb 1934–Feb 1934.

French painting of the Nineteenth Century, Art Association of Montreal, Mar 1934–Mar 1934.

French Paintings by the Impressionists and Modern Artists, W Scott & Sons, Dec 1934–Dec 1934.

Society of Artists Annual Exhibition (1935), Education Department Gallery [Loftus Street], 06 Sep 1935–04 Oct 1935.

An exhibition of French art at the National Art Gallery of New South Wales, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 04 Oct 1944–31 Oct 1944.

French art from Australian collections, Queensland Art Gallery, Jun 1959–Jul 1959.

Retrospective Camille Pissarro, Isetan Museum of Art, 09 Mar 1984–09 Apr 1984.

Retrospective Camille Pissarro, Fukuoka Art Museum, 25 Apr 1984–20 May 1984.

Retrospective Camille Pissarro, Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art, 26 May 1984–01 Jul 1984.

Shell presents Van Gogh: his sources, genius and influence, National Gallery of Victoria [St Kilda Road], 19 Nov 1993–16 Jan 1994.

Shell presents Van Gogh: his sources, genius and influence, Queensland Art Gallery, 22 Jan 1994–13 Mar 1994.

The Impressionists: Masterpieces from the Musée d'Orsay, NGV: International, 17 Jun 2004–26 Sep 2004.

Camille Pissarro, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 19 Nov 2005–19 Feb 2006.

Camille Pissarro, NGV: International, 04 Mar 2006–28 May 2006.

Jardines Impresionistas, Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, 16 Nov 2010–14 Feb 2011.

Radiance: The Neo Impressionists, NGV: International, 16 Nov 2012–17 Mar 2013.