Houses at Knocke, Belgium 1894

Camille Pissarro painted this landscape of Houses at Knocke, Belgium, with oil on canvas. Pissarro belonged to the Impressionists, a group of artists working mainly in France who were interested in depicting the fleeting qualities of light and atmosphere. In this painting, the houses are partially obscured by lush greenery which dominates the foreground. This gives the impression of a natural, unspoiled environment. The setting is Knocke, a coastal town in Belgium that, during Pissarro's time, was transforming into a resort. Artists were drawn to capturing these landscapes. Pissarro’s painting can be seen as a commentary on the changing face of the Belgian coast, balancing the natural beauty of the location with the encroachment of modern development. To learn more, one might consult exhibition reviews, artist biographies, and studies of Impressionist landscape painting. Understanding Pissarro’s work in the context of its time helps us appreciate the social and institutional forces that shaped its creation and reception.