Pissarro, Camille (1830-1903)
Nature morte (Still Life)
1867
Oil on canvas, 81 x 99.7 cm
Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo
“Don’t bother trying to look for something new: you won’t find novelty in the subject matter, but in the way you express it.” —Camille Pissarro
The subject of this painting is as much the display of how it was created, as it is what is represented (a simple meal of ham in a ceramic bowl, apples, bread, and red wine). Camille Pissarro used a palette knife to apply paint boldly in smooth, flat surfaces broken with sculpted areas of impasto (thickly built-up strokes of paint, from the Italian for “paste”). He also worked more delicately with the paintbrush in certain areas—see, for example, the wine glass. This deliberate juxtaposition of techniques results in a vibrant surface that can convey great visual energy and emotional power. (TMA)