Research Point 3 - Monet, Pissaro and Cezanne

The Hermitage at Pontoise, ca. 1867
This is over six feet by five in size - Pissarro’s largest painting.

Artists who worked in series with the landscape such as Monet, Pissarro or Cezanne -  the challenges they faced and how they tackled them.

Camille Pissaro (1830-1903)

Although considered an Impressionist, Courbet (a realist painter) was a major influence upon Pissaro. He is believed to have been the first artist to paint with a technique and palette typical of Impressionists. Recognition in the art world was slow for the Impressionists, as their work was such a departure from art that was generally admired around this time – technically detailed realism and idealism, yet he remained true to his vision. Conversely, today his subjects may be regarded as idealistic, but they were truthful depictions rather than more popular paintings which were far removed from reality. He was a well respected figure amongst other Impressionists. Remaining so true to his vision contributed to the fact that he was almost 74 before he finally gained the recognition he deserved.

Pissaro lived in the town of Pontoise from around 1866 to 1883 and painted a series of large scale landscapes. He chose to portray the everyday life of ordinary people who lived there, challenging conventions by his use of colour and expressive brushwork. 

By painting on a large scale he sought to give as much significance to scenes of everyday life as to ‘important’ mythological or historical themes which were often painted on a large scale.

Pontoise – ‘Red Roofs’.

Pontoise – ‘Red Roofs’ he had to work very hard to achieve  the expected effect  as he believed in painting according to the first unconscious reaction – not giving more importance to one object over another - if it wasn’t for the title the red roofs might be less noticeable.

Later in his life he preferred to paint in comfort, doing a series of cityscapes of Paris at different times of day, from a hotel room giving him a high vantage point.

 

Paul Cezanne 1839-1906

Pissaro was also highly revered by Cezanne, who is regarded as a Post Impressionist as he was concerned particularly with form and structure aswell as light and colour. Cezanne sought the help of Pissaro about 10 years into his career. His approach was a great influence on Cezanne’s and had the effect of steadying his style, helping him to focus his energy. Yet, he became such a perfectionist with the way he applied each individual brushstroke, in a way that each colour and each value had to be absolutely aligned with others. The effect was to build up a clear sense of depth.

In his series Mont St. Victoire he was fascinated by its rugged geological forms. He painted and sketched it repeatedly from many angles, building up a sense of mass and solidity in his brushstrokes - I can see how his use of bold geometric brushwork inspired the Cubist style.

Painting outdoors in all weathers would surely also have presented him with its own challenges; indeed it was through his detemination to continue working for hours in the pouring rain during one autumn that caused pneumonia and subsequently his death.

Cezanne St Victoire-1886

Mont Sainte-Victoire 1902 oil on canvas 83x65cm

Mont Sainte-Victoire seen from Les Lauves - pencil & watercolour 1901-06 48x31cm

Claude Monet (1840 –1926)

Monet produced much of his series of water lilies (approximately 250 oil paintings) towards the end of his life while he was suffering from deteriorating eyesight, caused by cataracts. According to his letters to friends he would complain about how colours were getting dull and how he found them increasingly hard to tell apart. As the condition worsened, the colours in his paintings became more vibrant. This can be seen when comparing Water lilies (Rome) 1897-99, Water-Lily Pond and Weeping Willow (1916-19 and 044 circ.1920). His anxiety was such that it eventually led him to suspend work on the Lilies series until after the eye operation.  After suffering for many years, he had surgery in 1923 – only 3 years before his death at the age of 86. However, he still complained following the operation how his sight was too yellow then blue. He continued with the series, but only one eye was operated on and his binocular vision was adversely affected, with it his sense of depth. He destroyed many paintings due his frustration, though some of them were salvaged by his family and friends.

Water lilies (Rome) 1897-99.

Water-Lily Pond and Weeping Willow (1916-19).

Water lilies 044 circ.1920.

The series is now displayed in separate museums all over the world. An exhibition of part of the series was held in the Musée de l’Orangerie and since a few months after his death, eight of them are on permanent display.