The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists (375 page)
Read The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists Online
Authors: Ian Chilvers
Pissarro , Camille
(1830–1903).
French painter and graphic artist. He was born in the West Indies of a Jewish father and a Creole mother, and in 1855 moved to Paris, where he was initially strongly influenced by
Corot
. In 1859 he met
Monet
, and with him became a central figure of the
Impressionist
group. Pissarro in fact was the only artist who exhibited at all eight Impressionist exhibitions and was a much-respected father figure to other members of the group. His talents as a teacher made him influential even among artists of greater stature than himself—*Cézanne and
Gauguin
, for example, spoke glowingly of him. During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1, when his home at Louveciennes was overrun by the invaders and his paintings destroyed, he joined Monet in England and came under the influence of English landscape painters, particularly
Turner
and
Constable
. In 1872 he settled at Pontoise, where he had lived 1866–9, and for some years painted there in close friendship with Cézanne, his neighbour at Auverssur-Oise. From 1884 he lived at Eragny, near Gisors, and there met
Signac
and came to know
Seurat
. For some years during the 1880s he flirted with the
pointillist
technique and the optical methods of the
Neo-Impressionists
under Seurat's influence, but later reverted to his earlier style. From about 1895 deterioration of his eyesight caused him to give up painting out of doors and many of his late works are town views painted from windows in Paris. He died blind. Pissarro was extremely prolific not only as a painter but also in various graphic techniques. Many galleries have examples of his work; the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, has a fine collection of his drawings.
Lucien Pissarro
(1863–1944), eldest son of Camille, was taught by his father and other leading members or associates of the Impressionist group. He exhibited in the final Impressionist exhibition (1886) and with Seurat in the Second
Salon
des Indépendants, adopting the pointillist technique for a time. In 1890 he settled in England, and he became a British citizen in 1916. From 1905 he was part of
Sickert's
circle and he was a member of the
Camden Town Group
and afterwards of the
London Group
. He was a distinguished book illustrator and from 1894 to 1914 ran the Eragny Press, one of the best of the private presses that flourished at this period. A modest and unassuming character, he has been over-shadowed by his more famous father, but he was an important link between French Impressionism and Neo-Impressionism and English art. His daughter,
Orovida Pissarro
(1893–1968), was a painter and etcher, mainly of animal subjects.
French painter and graphic artist. He was born in the West Indies of a Jewish father and a Creole mother, and in 1855 moved to Paris, where he was initially strongly influenced by
Corot
. In 1859 he met
Monet
, and with him became a central figure of the
Impressionist
group. Pissarro in fact was the only artist who exhibited at all eight Impressionist exhibitions and was a much-respected father figure to other members of the group. His talents as a teacher made him influential even among artists of greater stature than himself—*Cézanne and
Gauguin
, for example, spoke glowingly of him. During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1, when his home at Louveciennes was overrun by the invaders and his paintings destroyed, he joined Monet in England and came under the influence of English landscape painters, particularly
Turner
and
Constable
. In 1872 he settled at Pontoise, where he had lived 1866–9, and for some years painted there in close friendship with Cézanne, his neighbour at Auverssur-Oise. From 1884 he lived at Eragny, near Gisors, and there met
Signac
and came to know
Seurat
. For some years during the 1880s he flirted with the
pointillist
technique and the optical methods of the
Neo-Impressionists
under Seurat's influence, but later reverted to his earlier style. From about 1895 deterioration of his eyesight caused him to give up painting out of doors and many of his late works are town views painted from windows in Paris. He died blind. Pissarro was extremely prolific not only as a painter but also in various graphic techniques. Many galleries have examples of his work; the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, has a fine collection of his drawings.
Lucien Pissarro
(1863–1944), eldest son of Camille, was taught by his father and other leading members or associates of the Impressionist group. He exhibited in the final Impressionist exhibition (1886) and with Seurat in the Second
Salon
des Indépendants, adopting the pointillist technique for a time. In 1890 he settled in England, and he became a British citizen in 1916. From 1905 he was part of
Sickert's
circle and he was a member of the
Camden Town Group
and afterwards of the
London Group
. He was a distinguished book illustrator and from 1894 to 1914 ran the Eragny Press, one of the best of the private presses that flourished at this period. A modest and unassuming character, he has been over-shadowed by his more famous father, but he was an important link between French Impressionism and Neo-Impressionism and English art. His daughter,
Orovida Pissarro
(1893–1968), was a painter and etcher, mainly of animal subjects.
Pitti Palace
, Florence.
, Florence.
Art gallery, originally built as a palace for Luca Pitti, a wealthy rival of the
Medici
. It was probably begun in the 1450s, so the traditional attribution of its design to
Brunelleschi
(who died in 1446) is unlikely; it has also been attributed to
Alberti
. It remained unfinished until it was acquired in 1549 by Duke Cosimo I, who made it the Medici residence and had it enlarged by
Ammanati
. Most of the present vast structure dates from the 16th and 17th cents. The interior includes opulent decoration by Pietro da
Cortona
. The Pitti Gallery on the upper floor in the left wing contains about 500 masterpieces from the Medici collections which rival those of its sister institution, the
Uffizi
. The State Apartments contain a profusion of art treasures including sculptures and tapestries, and on the ground floor is the Museo degli Argenti, which contains outstanding collections of plate, goldsmiths' work, ivories, vestments, etc.
Medici
. It was probably begun in the 1450s, so the traditional attribution of its design to
Brunelleschi
(who died in 1446) is unlikely; it has also been attributed to
Alberti
. It remained unfinished until it was acquired in 1549 by Duke Cosimo I, who made it the Medici residence and had it enlarged by
Ammanati
. Most of the present vast structure dates from the 16th and 17th cents. The interior includes opulent decoration by Pietro da
Cortona
. The Pitti Gallery on the upper floor in the left wing contains about 500 masterpieces from the Medici collections which rival those of its sister institution, the
Uffizi
. The State Apartments contain a profusion of art treasures including sculptures and tapestries, and on the ground floor is the Museo degli Argenti, which contains outstanding collections of plate, goldsmiths' work, ivories, vestments, etc.
Pittoni , Giovanni Battista
(1687–1767).
Venetian painter of religious, historical, and mythological pictures. He was very popular in his day and ranks as one of the best contemporaries of
Tiepolo
, whom he succeeded as President of the Venice Academy of Painting, 1758–61. Pittoni never left Italy, but he nevertheless received important foreign commissions from the Swedish, Austrian, and German courts. His early work was much indebted to
Piazzetta
and Sebastiano
Ricci
, but his style later became lighter and more colourful under the influence of Tiepolo.
Venetian painter of religious, historical, and mythological pictures. He was very popular in his day and ranks as one of the best contemporaries of
Tiepolo
, whom he succeeded as President of the Venice Academy of Painting, 1758–61. Pittoni never left Italy, but he nevertheless received important foreign commissions from the Swedish, Austrian, and German courts. His early work was much indebted to
Piazzetta
and Sebastiano
Ricci
, but his style later became lighter and more colourful under the influence of Tiepolo.
Place , Francis
(1647–1728).
English gentleman artist, active mainly in York. He was a close friend of
Hollar
, and his topographical and architectural drawings are near to his in style. His later drawings rely on a fuller use of
wash
and are among the more important anticipations of English 18th-cent. watercolour style. Place also made portraits and was a pioneer of the
mezzotint
technique. His work is best represented in the City Art Gallery, York.
English gentleman artist, active mainly in York. He was a close friend of
Hollar
, and his topographical and architectural drawings are near to his in style. His later drawings rely on a fuller use of
wash
and are among the more important anticipations of English 18th-cent. watercolour style. Place also made portraits and was a pioneer of the
mezzotint
technique. His work is best represented in the City Art Gallery, York.
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