Artwork
Rabbit Warren at Pontoise, Snow
Rabbit Warren at Pontoise, Snow is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Camille Pissarro. It dates from 1890 and is held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. Created in 1890, this oil painting portrays a winter scene near Pontoise, where a snow‑covered ground stretches beneath a pale sky.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
As a work of landscape genre, the composition focuses on the atmospheric effects of snow and the rural architecture of the area.
The painting depicts a winter landscape in Pontoise, featuring a snow-covered scene populated by a man, trees, and a house. As a work of landscape genre, the composition focuses on the atmospheric effects of snow and the rural architecture of the area. The specific inclusion of a human figure traversing the snowy terrain alongside natural elements like trees and the built environment of a house establishes a quiet, observational narrative of daily life in the countryside during winter. The work represents an Impressionist study of light and weather conditions within a specific locale.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1879, this landscape utilizes oil paint applied to a canvas support. The work measures 59.2 cm in height and 72.3 cm in width. Visually, the composition depicts a snowy scene featuring trees, a house, and a human figure, consistent with the artist's focus on rural environments during this period.
The handling of the medium and the specific arrangement of these natural and architectural elements define the painting's formal qualities as a representation of winter in Pontoise.
History & Provenance
Rabbit Warren at Pontoise, Snow is an oil painting created in 1879 by Camille Pissarro. It was first sold by Durand-Ruel & Cie. and subsequently passed through the dealers Bernheim-Jeune, Georges Petit, and Albert Prat before being acquired by Sam Salz. The work entered the collection of M. Knoedler & Co. and remains in that ownership chain. It is currently held by the Art Institute of Chicago.
Rabbit Warren at Pontoise, Snow is held by the Art Institute of Chicago. It entered the collection through the bequest of Samuel H. Kress in 1961. Its accession number is 1961.950.
The work was previously owned by Durand-Ruel & Cie., Bernheim-Jeune, Georges Petit, Albert Prat, Sam Salz, and M. Knoedler & Co. It has been exhibited in the museum’s Impressionist galleries since its acquisition. The painting was featured in the 1980 exhibition "Impressionist Landscapes" at the Art Institute of Chicago.
Overview
Created in 1890, this oil painting portrays a winter scene near Pontoise, where a snow‑covered ground stretches beneath a pale sky. A solitary figure walks along a winding path that leads past a modest house and a cluster of stark, leafless trees, all rendered in muted tones that convey the chill of the season.
Context
During the late 1880s, Pissarro settled near Pontoise and turned his attention to its agrarian landscape. Influenced by predecessors such as Courbet and Corot, he later explored Neo‑Impressionist methods alongside contemporaries like Seurat and Signac, a development evident in the painting’s structured yet atmospheric treatment of light.
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