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Lot Essay
IN MARCH 1903, PISSARRO HAD EXHAUSTED THE VIEWS FROM HIS APPARTMENT NEAR THE PONT NEUF SO HE MOVED ACROSS THE BRIDGE TO THE LEFT BANK WHERE HE RENTED A ROOM IN THE HôTEL DU QUAI VOLTAIRE. ONE OF THE VIEWS OFFERED FROM THE WINDOW OF HIS HOTEL ROOM WAS THE PONT ROYAL WITH THE PAVILLON DE FLORE. IN A LETTER OF 30 MARCH 1903 TO HIS SON LUCIEN (WHO OWNED THIS PICTURE), PISSARRO WROTE:
I AM DOING AT PRESENT A SERIES OF CANVASES FROM THE HôTEL DU QUAI VOLTAIRE: THE PONT ROYAL AND THE PONT DU CARROUSEL, AND ALSO THE SWEEP OF THE QUAI MALAQUAIS WITH THE INSTITUT DE FRANCE IN THE BACKGROUND AND, TO THE LEFT, THE BANKS OF THE SEINE; SUPERB MOTIFS OF LIGHT (JOHN REWALD (ED.), CAMILLE PISSARRO, LETTERS TO HIS SON LUCIEN, NEW YORK, 1943, P.355).
THIS SERIES COMPRISES OF TWELVE PAINTINGS WHOSE MOTIFS CAN BE DIVIDED INTO THREE SUB-SERIES, DEPICTING DIFFERENT VIEWS OF THE BANK OF THE SEINE FROM THE PONT ROYAL TO THE PONT DU CARROUSEL. PISSARRO AND MONET WERE THE TWO IMPRESSIONIST PAINTERS MOST IMMEDIATELY IDENTIFIED WITH PAINTING IN SERIES. THEY WERE SEEKING TO CATCH AND REPRESENT SUBJECTS UNDER DIFFERENT EFFECTS OF LIGHT, ATMOSPHERE AND WEATHER. THE PRESENT PAINTING BELONGS TO ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT OF THESE SUB-SERIES, CONSISTING OF THREE PAINTINGS, WHICH 'CLEARLY CONSTITUTE THE CLIMAX OF THE SERIES (SEE J. REWALD, PISSARRO, LONDON, 1963, P. 158). THE OTHER TWO PONT ROYAL ET PAVILLON DE FLORE ARE IN A PRIVATE COLLECTION AND IN THE MUSéE DU PETIT-PALAIS, PARIS.
PISSARRO LAUNCHED THE PONT ROYAL ET PAVILLON DE FLORE SERIES AT THE AGE OF NEARLY SEVENTY-SIX, AND WORKED ON IT RIGHT UP TO HIS DEATH LATER THAT YEAR. DISCUSSING THIS LATE SERIES OF PICTURES, REWALD WRITES: 'MANY OF HIS LAST PICTURES ARE AMONG THE FINEST PISSARRO CREATED, MAKING A WORTHY FINALE TO HIS LONG AND VARIED CAREER,... HIS LOVE FOR NATURE, HIS CAPACITY FOR EMOTION, AND HIS TECHNICAL PROFICIENCY SEEM TO HAVE INCREASED WITH THE YEARS' (LOC. CIT.).
KATIA PISSARRO HAS KINDLY CONFIRMED THE AUTHENTICITY OF THIS WORK.
I AM DOING AT PRESENT A SERIES OF CANVASES FROM THE HôTEL DU QUAI VOLTAIRE: THE PONT ROYAL AND THE PONT DU CARROUSEL, AND ALSO THE SWEEP OF THE QUAI MALAQUAIS WITH THE INSTITUT DE FRANCE IN THE BACKGROUND AND, TO THE LEFT, THE BANKS OF THE SEINE; SUPERB MOTIFS OF LIGHT (JOHN REWALD (ED.), CAMILLE PISSARRO, LETTERS TO HIS SON LUCIEN, NEW YORK, 1943, P.355).
THIS SERIES COMPRISES OF TWELVE PAINTINGS WHOSE MOTIFS CAN BE DIVIDED INTO THREE SUB-SERIES, DEPICTING DIFFERENT VIEWS OF THE BANK OF THE SEINE FROM THE PONT ROYAL TO THE PONT DU CARROUSEL. PISSARRO AND MONET WERE THE TWO IMPRESSIONIST PAINTERS MOST IMMEDIATELY IDENTIFIED WITH PAINTING IN SERIES. THEY WERE SEEKING TO CATCH AND REPRESENT SUBJECTS UNDER DIFFERENT EFFECTS OF LIGHT, ATMOSPHERE AND WEATHER. THE PRESENT PAINTING BELONGS TO ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT OF THESE SUB-SERIES, CONSISTING OF THREE PAINTINGS, WHICH 'CLEARLY CONSTITUTE THE CLIMAX OF THE SERIES (SEE J. REWALD, PISSARRO, LONDON, 1963, P. 158). THE OTHER TWO PONT ROYAL ET PAVILLON DE FLORE ARE IN A PRIVATE COLLECTION AND IN THE MUSéE DU PETIT-PALAIS, PARIS.
PISSARRO LAUNCHED THE PONT ROYAL ET PAVILLON DE FLORE SERIES AT THE AGE OF NEARLY SEVENTY-SIX, AND WORKED ON IT RIGHT UP TO HIS DEATH LATER THAT YEAR. DISCUSSING THIS LATE SERIES OF PICTURES, REWALD WRITES: 'MANY OF HIS LAST PICTURES ARE AMONG THE FINEST PISSARRO CREATED, MAKING A WORTHY FINALE TO HIS LONG AND VARIED CAREER,... HIS LOVE FOR NATURE, HIS CAPACITY FOR EMOTION, AND HIS TECHNICAL PROFICIENCY SEEM TO HAVE INCREASED WITH THE YEARS' (LOC. CIT.).
KATIA PISSARRO HAS KINDLY CONFIRMED THE AUTHENTICITY OF THIS WORK.