Camille Pissarro - Neo-Impressionism Period

Neo-Impressionism Period

By the 1880s, Pissarro began to explore new themes and methods of painting in order to break out of what he felt was an artistic “mire”. As a result, Pissarro went back to his earlier themes by painting the life of country people, which he had done in Venezuela in his youth. Degas described Pissarro’s subjects as “peasants working to make a living”.

However, this period also marked the end of the Impressionist period due to Pissarro’s leaving the movement. As Joachim Pissarro points out, “Once such a die-hard Impressionist as Pissarro had turned his back on Impressionism, it was apparent that Impressionism had no chance of surviving. . . “

It was Pissarro’s intention during this period to help “educate the public” by painting people at work or at home in realistic settings, without idealizing their lives. Renoir, in 1882, referred to Pissarro’s work during this period as “revolutionary,” in his attempt to portray the "common man." Pissarro himself did not use his art to overtly preach any kind of political message, however, although his preference for painting humble subjects was intended to be seen and purchased by his upper class clientele. He also began painting with a more unified brushwork along with pure strokes of color.