Shop art print and framed art Jalais Hill at Pontoise by Camille Pissarro

Historical and artistic context of La Colline de Jalais in Pontoise

Camille Pissarro (1830-1903) was a major painter of the French Impressionist movement, although he also experimented with other styles such as Pointillism. Born in the French West Indies, he moved to mainland France to study at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris.

The painting "La Colline de Jalais à Pontoise" was produced while Pissarro was staying in this town in the Paris region between 1866 and 1869, a period when he began to make friends with Claude Monet and Paul Cézanne in particular. As a result, he produced a number of paintings of the Pontois region, gradually developing the aesthetic that would make him famous.

Work description

This work, dating from 1867, is now in the Metropolitan Museum.In the foreground of this approximately 22 x 26-inch canvas, a dirt road leads to a charming rural commune below. The rustic landscape, undulating and crisscrossed with fields, represents Pontoise in the Paris region.

The treatment of light in this work is typical of Impressionism: the colors are vivid and the contrasts marked between areas of shadow and light, reflecting a real desire to capture the immediate sensations provoked by nature at a specific moment.

The role of La Colline de Jalais in Pontoise in Camille Pissarro's career

An important step in Pissarro's artistic evolution

One of the major characteristics of the Impressionist movement was to represent nature en plein air in order to paint directly from the motif, rather than locking oneself away in a studio to paint from preparatory sketches. This approach enabled artists to better capture the changing nuances of light and atmospheric effects.

A major turning point in his personal life

In addition to being a pivotal period in Pissarro's artistic evolution, the years spent in Pontoise also marked a major upheaval in his personal life. Indeed, it was during this period that his son Lucien was born and the artist tragically lost his first wife.

Meeting influential artists

As mentioned above, it was in Pontoise that Pissarro befriended Claude Monet and Paul Cézanne. These encounters were decisive in supporting and guiding his artistic approach. In addition, Dr. Gachet - future doctor and friend of Vincent Van Gogh - resided in this town bought "La Colline de Jalais à Pontoise"

The critical reception and posterity of La Colline de Jalais à Pontoise

A belated recognition

Although now considered one of the major painters of Impressionism, Camille Pissarro did not immediately enjoy critical success. Public recognition would be a long time coming for the painter, until the turn of the twentieth century.

A lasting impact on art history

Beyond his membership of the Impressionist movement, Camille Pissarro also helped redefine the themes addressed by painting. His approach to landscapes and scenes of daily life, depicted with realism and intimacy, profoundly marked the history of Western painting.

This artwork is a painting from the classical period. It belongs to the impressionism style.

« Jalais Hill at Pontoise » is kept at Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.