Camille Pissarro
Recently, the Van Gogh Museum acquired a total of 91 prints by Camille Pissarro (1830–1903). The prints are from the Samuel Josefowitz Collection, and were amassed over many decades with great passion, expertise, and patience. The entire collection has now been acquired by the museum. Together, the works provide a comprehensive overview of the artist’s printed oeuvre. From 1 March to 26 May (2019), 42 of the acquired prints will be on display in a special presentation in the print cabinet in the Exhibition Wing of the museum. Among them is this treasure.
Camille Pissarro was one of the leading and most productive representatives of Impressionist printmaking, creating some 200 etchings and lithographs during his career. As an Impressionist printmaker, he experimented with different materials and techniques throughout his career. It was particularly with his prints that he felt free to explore new directions.
He believed that the process of creating the prints was more important than the ultimate result or producing works to sell. Using unconventional materials such as sandpaper and wire brushes, Pissarro created various versions of nearly all his compositions. He considered each variation to be an artwork in its own right.
This collection of 91 prints includes multiple states of the same compositions, helping to make Pissarro’s inventive approach abundantly clear. The collection is also a prime example of Impressionist printmaking: the different variations portray the personal perceptions of the artist of visual reality.
P.S. Here's a list of Camille Pissarro’s St. Thomas paintings you should know, check it out!