“Orchard in Bloom, Louveciennes”
“Orchard in Bloom, Louveciennes”, is a lovely oil on canvas piece from 1872. It was made by Camille Pissarro, the Danish-French artist of the Impressionism and Post-Impressionism movements. This piece was shown at the first Impressionist art exhibition that took place in Paris in 1874. It was one of five pieces Pissarro had in the show.
In this piece, Pissarro depicts an orchard in spring in the commune of Louveciennes. White blossoms dot the trees that reach back into the horizon of the painting. A small path flanked by grass gives adds perspective to the view. A woman and man are seen working. A bright blue sky adds a swath of bright color to the top.
Pissarro lived in Louveciennes, a western suburb of Paris. In 1870 was the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War. As he was unable to join the French army due to his Danish nationality, he fled France for England. When Pissarro returned home in 1871, he found that his house had been occupied by soldiers during the war, ruining many of his paintings in the process. After his return to France, Pissarro painted this piece, an optimistic painting celebrating springtime, new life, and perhaps the hope of the future.
The painting was sold the same year it was painted, in 1872, by Paul Durand-Ruel. Durand-Ruel was an early patron and supporter for the Impressionist artists and showed their work in his gallery as early as 1872.
“Orchard in Bloom, Louveciennes” is currently on display at the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C.
For more on Camille Pissarro, please visit his short biography here.
You can find more artists to learn about here.
