L’allée Du Jardin D’eragny c. 1899

Camille Pissarro made this painting, L’allée Du Jardin D’eragny, with oil paint on canvas. These were the quintessential materials of his time. But look closely. Pissarro wasn’t interested in making a smooth, illusionistic surface. Instead, he left the marks of the brush quite evident. See how each dab and stroke remains distinct? This technique, typical of the Impressionists, emphasized the physical act of painting. The texture isn't just about depicting leaves and light, it’s about process and the labour involved in making the work. It is this emphasis on labor that brings the painting close to the world of craft. In a way, Pissarro elevated the status of manual work, inviting the viewer to appreciate the skill and effort that went into each individual brushstroke, and challenging the old academic hierarchy separating art from craft. For Pissarro, the very process of applying paint was as significant as the image it created.