CAMILLE PISSARRO - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED - HFSID 354614

CAMILLE PISSARRO
The painter sketches images of his eight-year-old daughter “dressing up” in a bustle and comments on his art and that of his son Lucien.
Autograph Letter signed: "C. Pissarro", 1 page (front and verso), 10x8 which folds to 5x8.
Pissarro writes from his home in Eragny to his niece in England of family matters and of his art. Specifically, he thanks her for sending his children clothing and draws two humorous sketches of Cocotte, his eight-year-old daughter, wearing a bustle from a front and side view. He also writes of the completion of his drawings created in the town of Rouen, a favorite locale of impressionist artists. His son Lucien was in Paris at the time of this letter, and he helped his father prepare for art shows from there. Pissarro states that he is forwarding his drawings from Rouen as well as an etching done by Lucien. Like a proud father, he continues to talk about Lucien's work specifically on a children's book which was giving the boy trouble when it came to drawing the animals and father jokes of the final product: "...it will be ready in 2 or 3 days. That which my brother had is only from St Jean, according to me at least because in fact you cannot trust the tastes and colors of artists especially impressionists - I believe you will be satisfied; will it be published, that is the question...."

Pissarro writes, in part, translated: "...the innkeeper from Rouen, has finally decided to send me the drawings; I hope that after having made so many trips, we'll find the means of sending them to you, we are planning to go to Paris this day and we will benefit by making several new prints that we can include. Lucien will include an etching representing Bouvard, reading le Temps in his bedroom, still in slippers, in shirtsleeves, he just made the beard with all the seriousness...Cocotte has received an outfit from Pissarro, - I will only tell you that much, Totally sensational!...no?....she passes her wide open hand, with fingers spread out over her dress, and she says that it is soft!!...what would she say if she could see herself from behind!!...." Pissarro to the left of this statement draws the two images of Cocotte front and side views. Pissarro signs on front side verso vertically: "C. Pissarro.", in black ink. Fine condition.

Camille Pissarro (1830-1903), born in the French Virgin Islands, was a groundbreaking French impressionists painter known for his urban and rural scenes and his portrayals of working people. In his middle years as an artist, he pioneered the distinctive style known as pointillism. A patriarch among the impressionists, Pissarro mentored Cézanne and Gaugin. He married Julie Vellay, originally a maid in his mother's household; they had eight children. All six children who survived to adulthood painted, in particular his son Lucien, mentioned in this letter, who became an artist of note. Pissarro moved to Eragny, 16 miles northwest of central Paris, in 1884, living there until his death. In his day, Eragny still offered rural landscapes, and many of his best-known works were painted there.