The Lock at Pontoise 1872

Camille Pissarro made this oil on canvas painting, The Lock at Pontoise, in 1870. Pissarro was fascinated by the French landscape and especially the communities that lived and worked there. His early works often focused on rural scenes but during his time in London, he turned to more urban landscapes. In this painting, Pissarro depicts a typical scene of French life: a canal lock. The painting includes details such as the houses, trees, boats, and figures along the canal. His paintings provide a glimpse into a time of great social change in France as rural life was slowly being overtaken by industrialization. By looking at paintings such as The Lock at Pontoise, we can learn about the history of France through the eyes of its artists. Art historians often draw on a range of historical and cultural resources to explore the context in which artworks were produced. By exploring archival sources and other paintings from this period, we gain a better understanding of the historical, social, and institutional forces at play.