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Lot Essay
In Marché à Pontoise, Boulevard des Fossés, Pissarro offers a vivid portrayal of a local market in a provincial town. Having lived in Pontoise for over a decade, he developed a deep understanding of the community’s rhythms, which he repeatedly captured in his work. This gouache exemplifies his enduring interest in depicting peasants engaged in everyday market activities. While reflecting the broader Impressionist commitment to portraying contemporary life, Pissarro’s treatment elevates these peasants from mere laborers to integral members of the town’s social fabric, positioning them on equal footing with the urban figures commonly depicted by his fellow Impressionists.
Pissarro’s significance within the Impressionist movement is further emphasized by his unique participation in all eight Impressionist exhibitions. The present work was included in the seventh exhibition in 1882, during which more than half of his thirty-six submissions featured rural laborers, many drawn from his Pontoise market series.
Acquired directly from the artist by the esteemed dealer Paul Durand-Ruel in 1881, this gouache was included in several exhibitions he curated. It later entered the private collection of H. Rodes Sr. and Patricia Hart, where it has remained for over four decades.
Pissarro’s significance within the Impressionist movement is further emphasized by his unique participation in all eight Impressionist exhibitions. The present work was included in the seventh exhibition in 1882, during which more than half of his thirty-six submissions featured rural laborers, many drawn from his Pontoise market series.
Acquired directly from the artist by the esteemed dealer Paul Durand-Ruel in 1881, this gouache was included in several exhibitions he curated. It later entered the private collection of H. Rodes Sr. and Patricia Hart, where it has remained for over four decades.