La Saint Martin a Pontoise 1885

Camille Pissarro's *La Saint Martin a Pontoise* is a quick record of community life, made with pencil and watercolor on paper. Pissarro uses these accessible materials to capture a transient moment, a parade winding its way through the town of Pontoise. The thinness of the watercolor allows the texture of the paper to show through, creating a sense of immediacy. Pencil sketches create the skeletal structure of the composition. The fluidity of the watercolor medium lends itself well to capturing the atmospheric conditions of the day, with soft washes of color suggesting the hazy light and overcast sky. The choice of everyday materials reflects Pissarro's interest in depicting scenes of modern life, rather than grand historical or mythological subjects. There is little labor involved, as the work has more the feeling of a sketch. By embracing these humble materials and subjects, Pissarro blurred the boundaries between fine art and the everyday experience.