Pissaro as a Student and as an Artist

The budding young artist at age 23 was overwhelmed by his sudden freedom and ability to explore and grow in the name of art he so longed for. Under Melbye’s mentorship, he made watercolors and paintings as well as countless drawings in pencil, ink and wash which he frequently signed in Spanish with the signature “Pizzarro.” His parents, unable to contain and hold him back finally gave their support for their son when he returned to St. Thomas. He again left, this time heading to Paris for additional studies into the arts and to finally pursue his heart’s felt career as an artist.

While in school, he found it a bit too boring to adopt the styles of academically accepted masters but instead found it better to artists who were on the fringe. These artists used art in a way that was deemed as non-conformist to the most common styles or norms that were used by masters of past eras. Pissarro developed a keen eye for detail and paid special attention to the way light influences his subjects that he developed early on as a young boy growing up in his own town of St. Thomas. He drew subject and light as inseparable parts on canvas that allowed him to extend emotion in his art that can be very much evident to the viewer.

He was a non-conformist who didn’t follow the rules and styles used and taught by his teachers to the extent that he isolated himself from them and his fellow students. He found it very difficult to express his personal feelings through his art under the supervision of great masters such as Melbye and Corot. This was all about to change when he met Monet and Cezanne who became a source of new insight giving him a better view of the art and how he could express himself through his work.

He moved to Paris, where after a few years his parents left their business to join him. Once there, they hired a maidservant from Burgundy who was named Julie Vellay who was to become his greatest admirer and life long companion. He tried to exhibit his works in the Salon but was repeatedly turned down by the critics and juries, instead he turned to Monet in organizing independent exhibitions to promote their new approach to the arts. Their attempts were so much in vain due to the stubbornness of the opposition who stood by the classical styles of art who considered it ludicrous to depart from their beliefs. This is to be the case with Pissarro for recognition for his work would not be deemed till after his death which is the case with most artists who depart from the accepted norms with regards to style and artistic talent.