Quotes

Discover more about the man behind the paintings with our selection of Camille Pissarro quotes.

Famous Quotes by Camille Pissarro

At fifty, that is in 1880, I formulated the idea of unity, without being able to render it. At sixty, I am beginning to see the possibility of rendering it.

I sometimes have a horrible fear of turning up a canvas of mine. I'm always afraid of finding a monster in place of the precious jewels I thought I had put there!

It is only by drawing often, drawing everything, drawing incessantly, that one fine day you discover to your surprise that you have rendered something in its true character.

Observe that it is a great error to believe that all mediums of art are not closely tied to their time.

Work at the same time on sky, water, branches, ground, keeping everything going on an equal basis... Don't be afraid of putting on colour... Paint generously and unhesitatingly, for it is best not to lose the first impression.

Cover the canvas at the first go, then work at it until you see nothing more to add.

Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing.

Don't be afraid in nature: one must be bold, at the risk of having been deceived and making mistakes.

Cover the canvas at the first go, then work at it until you see nothing more to add.

Everything is beautiful, all that matters is to be able to interpret.

God takes care of imbeciles, little children and artists.

I began to understand my sensations, to know what I wanted, at around the age of forty - but only vaguely.

Paint the essential character of things.

I regard it as a waste of time to think only of selling: one forgets one's art and exaggerates one's value.

When you do a thing with your whole soul and everything that is noble within you, you always find your counterpart.

Quotes about Camille Pissarro by Art Historians and Artists

Until the war, as you know, my life was a mess. I wasted it. It was only at l'Estaque, (1870-1871) when I thought things over, that I really understood Pissarro, a painter like myself.. .He was a determined man. I was overcome by a passion for work. It wasn't that I hadn't been working before, I was always working. But what I always missed, you know, was a comrade..

Paul Cezanne

It's like Impressionism. They all do it at the Salons. Oh, very discreetly! I too was an Impressionist. I don't conceal the fact. Pissarro had an enormous influence on me. Bit I wanted to make out of Impressionism something solid and lasting like the art of the museums.

Paul Cezanne

If we observe the totality of Pissarro' s works, we find there, despite the fluctuations, not only an extreme artistic will which never lies, but what is more, an essentially intuitive pure-bred art.. .He looked at everybody, you say! Why not? Everyone looked at him, too, but denied him. He was one of my masters and I do not deny him.

Paul Gauguin

Pissarro wants to achieve delicacy by means of adjustments of nearly like tones; he keeps from juxtaposing two distant tones and does without the vibrant note which such contrast gives, but strives on the contrary to diminish the distance between two tints by introducing into each one of them intermediate elements which he calls 'passage'. But the neo-impressionist technique is based precisely on this type of contrast, for which he feels no need, and on the violent purity of tints which hurts his eye. He has kept of divisionism only the technique, the little dot, whose raison d'etre is exactly that it enables the transcription of this contrast and the conservation of this purity. So it is easy to understand why he gave up this means, insufficient as it is by itself.

Paul Signac

It's still misery for - may I say it? - us other impressionists. I tried the overdoors again at Mme. Boivin's, but she says it is her husband and he says it is she who does not want them [buying Pissarro's paintings], even after having read your letter, he did not want me to hang a painting very high so that he might judge the effect. Thus I can do only one thing, which is to send you the enclosed 500 francs in advance on the business that we will do.. .When Miss Rogers comes, I shall show her all my paintings [of Pissarro]. . ..he must buy a painting of yours and not the least expensive. She ought to be able to afford a fine painting at the customary price and she must not let us down. Best regards from me and my wife, also to Mme. Pissarro. When you have something new, let me know.

Theo van Gogh

This [painting, Jalais Hill, Pontoise] is the modern countryside. One feels that man has passed by, turning and cutting the earth.. .And this little valley, this hill have a heroic simplicity and forthrightness. Nothing would be more banal were it not so grand. From ordinary reality the painter's temperament has drawn a rare poem of life and strength.

Emile Zola