Camille Pissarro

Santamarina Collection, Argentina
Sale: Sotheby's, New York, 7th November 1991, lot 115
Sale: Christie's, New York, 12th November 1992, lot 113
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

Caracas, Museo de Bellas Artes, Impresionismo Frances en las Colecciones Argentinas, 1962, no. 55

Joachim Pissarro & Claire Durand-Ruel Snollaerts, Pissarro, Critical Catalogue of Paintings, Milan, 2005, vol. III, no. 1456, illustrated in colour p. 887

The canvas is not lined and there is no evidence of retouching visible under UV light. There is some light craquelure mainly to the sky. Otherwise, this work is in overall very good condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

In the summer of 1902, Pissarro returned to the town of Dieppe on the Normandy coast, where he had already painted several depictions of the church of Saint-Jacques the year before. This time he rented a room on the second floor of the Hôtel du Commerce, which looked out onto the fish market. From his room he could see the port and the inner harbour, and he painted several pictures of these views, of which the present work is an excellent example. The weather that summer was beautiful, and Pissarro, who was very enthusiastic about his surroundings, encouraged his son Lucien to join him there: 'I have a first-rate motif, indeed I have several. It is really a pity that you can't come to Dieppe this year, but perhaps you will be able to escape for a little while' (John Rewald (ed.), Camille Pissarro, Letters to his son Lucien, New York, 1943, p. 349).

In his mature career, Pissarro depicted many scenes of 'dock city' life. These pictures, which he painted in Le Havre and Dieppe, were intended to be viewed as a series much in the same manner as the series paintings by Monet. In the present work, Pissarro presents us with boats moored in the harbour, a landscape punctuated by soft tufts of industrial smoke wafting into the atmosphere. Here Pissarro offers a panoramic view of Dieppe, where the man-made elements sit comfortably with the natural landscape, to create an integrated and charming vision of modernity.