Two Women Chatting by the Sea, St. Thomas
1856
Medium
oil on canvas
Dimensions
overall: 27.7 x 41 cm (10 7/8 x 16 1/8 in.) framed: 49.2 x 35.9 x 3.8 cm (19 3/8 x 14 1/8 x 1 1/2 in.)
Classification
Painting
Department
CF
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon
Accession Number
1985.64.30
Art Historical Context
Camille Pissarro'sTwo Women Chatting by Sea, St. Thomas (1856) captures a serene moment from the artist's early years in his birthplace, the Caribbean island of St. Thomas the Danish West Indies. there in 1830 to a Portuguese Jewish family, Pissarro this intimate oil on canvas during a formative period before his move to Paris in 1855. At just 27.7 x 41 cm, the small-scale work reflects his youthful exploration of tropical light and everyday life, predating his later fame as a founder of Impressionism. The painting depicts two women in lively conversation against a shimmering seascape, render...
About the Artist
Camille Pissarro · 1831–1903
Camille Pissarro (1830-1903) stands as the patriarch of Impressionism, the only artist to exhibit in all eight Impressionist exhibitions and a mentor whose influence shaped the trajectory of modern art. Born Jacob Abraham Camille Pissarro on the Caribbean island of St. Thomas to a Jewish-Portuguese merchant family, he abandoned the family business to pursue painting, eventually settling in Paris i...