Artwork
Hampton Court Green
Hampton Court Green is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Camille Pissarro. It dates from 1891 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower left: C. Pissarro.1891
About this work
A single tree stands in a quiet park, light falling across its leaves in soft patches and the colors blending without sharp edges. Camille Pissarro painted it in 1891 near his home, working outdoors as he often did to watch the light and weather change.
History & Provenance
Prior to that, it was handled by Arthur Tooth & Sons, London, having been purchased in 1951 by Marlborough Fine Art, London, from an English private collection.
Painted by Camille Pissarro in 1891, the oil-on-canvas landscape Hampton Court Green entered the commercial market shortly after its creation. The work was purchased directly from the artist on February 24, 1892, by the Paris dealer Durand-Ruel, who assigned it stock number 2346. It remained in the Durand-Ruel collection until February 27, 1911, when it was sold to the Berlin gallery Paul Cassirer.
Following a period in a private English collection, the painting was acquired in 1951 by Marlborough Fine Art in London. It subsequently passed through the hands of Arthur Tooth & Sons and was sold to Sam Salz, Inc. in New York in May 1952. After a brief ownership by Oscar Howalka in 1953, the work was purchased by Ailsa Mellon Bruce on June 9, 1954.
Upon her death in 1969, she bequeathed the painting to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., which received it in 1970.
Hampton Court Green has been in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., since 1970, when it entered as a bequest from Ailsa Mellon Bruce (1901-1969). Bruce had acquired the work on 9 June 1954 from Sam Salz, Inc., New York, with a dated receipt preserved in the NGA curatorial files. Earlier, the painting had passed from Sam Salz to Oscar Howalka in September 1953, then returned to Sam Salz before the 1954 sale.
Prior to that, it was handled by Arthur Tooth & Sons, London, having been purchased in 1951 by Marlborough Fine Art, London, from an English private collection. The provenance traces further back to Paul Cassirer, Berlin, who purchased it on 27 February 1911, and to Durand-Ruel, Paris, which bought it directly from Pissarro on 24 February 1892 (stock number 2346). The painting's documented exhibition history includes Impressionists in London.
Overview
Camille Pissarro's Hampton Court Green, an oil on canvas from 1891, presents a serene landscape. The painting focuses on a solitary green tree situated within a tranquil park setting. This work exemplifies Pissarro's dedication to capturing the subtle nuances of nature and light through his distinctive approach to landscape painting during this period.
Subject & Meaning
The central focus of the composition is a lone tree, rendered in vibrant green, standing within a peaceful park. Pissarro meticulously observed how sunlight filtered through the foliage, creating delicate patterns of illumination across its leaves. The isolated presence of the tree invites contemplation of its natural form and the quietude of its surroundings, reflecting a common motif in the artist's work.
Technique & Style
Pissarro employed a technique characterized by soft transitions and a lack of harsh outlines in Hampton Court Green. The colors merge seamlessly, contributing to the painting's harmonious atmosphere. His brushwork, though not overtly expressive, imbues the tree with a sense of vitality, suggesting movement and organic growth. This approach allowed him to convey the ephemeral qualities of light and atmosphere in the natural world.
Context
Created in 1891, Hampton Court Green originated near Pissarro's residence, reflecting his practice of painting local scenes. The artist frequently worked en plein air, directly observing his environment to capture the ever-changing effects of light and weather. This method allowed him to imbue his landscapes with an authentic sense of time and place, making the specific conditions of the day integral to the artwork.
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