Camille Pissarro

1830

Camille Jacob Pissarro is born in St. Thomas (Danish West Indies) on July 10.

1853-1855

Accompanies the Danish painter, Fritz Melbye, to Caracas, where he paints his first watercolours.

1855

Leaves St. Thomas permanently to settle in France, where he studies painting at the École des Beaux-Arts and the Académie Suisse. Meets Camille Corot.

1856

Sets up a studio in Paris. Makes the acquaintance of Claude Monet, initiating a long lasting friendship.

1859

A first canvas is accepted by the jury of the Salon, where Pissarro will also exhibit in 1864, 1865, 1866, 1868, 1869 and 1870.

1860

Beginning of his relationship with Julie Vellay, who will become his wife and the mother of his seven children.

1861

Meets Paul Cézanne.

1863

Exhibits at the Salon des Refusés with Cézanne and others. Birth of his first son, Lucien, the child with whom he will be most closely involved in artistic matters.

1865

Shows at the Salon and presents himself as a "student of Corot," from whom he very soon distances himself.

1866

Settles with his family at the Hermitage, Pontoise.

1870

The German army invades France. Pissarro seeks refuge in London, where he marries Julie. Meets Paul Durand-Ruel, who will become the main dealer for his work and that of the Impressionists.

1872

Returns to Pontoise. Works with Paul Cézanne.

1874

First of the eight Impressionist exhibitions that he will take part in.

1874-1877

Often works in Brittany.

1875

Paints Rue de l'Hermitage, in Pontoise.

1877

Paints The Old Road to Ennery at Pontoise. Meets Paul Gauguin, to whom he gives advice.

1878

Experiences serious financial difficulties.

1879

Invites Gauguin to participate in the fourth Impressionist exhibition.

1881

Works at Pontoise with Cézanne and Gauguin.

1883

Durand-Ruel organizes a one-man show for Pissarro. Departure for London of his son, Lucien, with whom he will carry on a rich correspondance lasting many years. Durand-Ruel organizes an Impressionist exhibition in London.

1884

Settles in Éragny, where he will live for the rest of his life. The artist's studio was set up in the garden, where it exists to this very day.

1885

Meets Signac and Seurat as well as Theo Van Gogh. Associates himself with the Pointillism of Seurat and adopts the divisionist technique.

1886

Final Impressionist exhibition. Meets Vincent van Gogh.

1887

Exhibition of the Group of 20 in Brussels with Seurat. A new period of severe financial problems ensues when Durand-Ruel refuses to buy his Pointillist canvases.

1888

Durand-Ruel organizes a large exhibition of the works of Renoir, Sisley and Pissarro.

1889

First signs of an eye infection that will remain with Pissarro for the rest of his life and force him to paint from a window instead of outdoors. He will adopt this method in painting his series of canvases on Rouen and Paris.

1890

Pissarro abandons Divisionism.

1893

Durand-Ruel buys numerous paintings from him.

1894

Seven of his canvases enter the Musée du Luxembourg.

1896

Paints The Stone Bridge in Rouen, Dull Weather. New financial problems.

1901

Paints Hay Harvest at Éragny. Settles in Paris, where he paints the Pont Neuf, the quays and other scenes from his window.

1903

Dies of a prostate abscess on November 13.

Text and research: Claude Lacroix, Aline Lesage