Artwork
Peasant Girl with a Straw Hat
Peasant Girl with a Straw Hat is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Camille Pissarro. It dates from 1881 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower right: C. Pissarro 81
About this work
Technique & Style
The piece is classified as a portrait, emphasizing the depiction of the subject's likeness and attire rather than a broader landscape or narrative scene.
Executed in 1881, this portrait utilizes oil paint applied to a canvas support. The work measures approximately 73.3 by 59.5 centimeters. Stylistically, the composition focuses on a single figure, a young girl distinguished by the inclusion of a straw hat.
The piece is classified as a portrait, emphasizing the depiction of the subject's likeness and attire rather than a broader landscape or narrative scene. The combination of oil medium and canvas allows for the textural rendering of the hat and the figure's features, characteristic of Pissarro's approach during this period. The physical dimensions suggest an intimate scale suitable for close viewing of the subject's expression and clothing details.
History & Provenance
Pissarro painted Peasant Girl with a Straw Hat in 1881 in oil on canvas. The work remained with the artist until 25 August 1891, when it passed to the Durand-Ruel gallery in Paris. It subsequently moved through members of the Durand-Ruel family, first to Mme. Aude in Paris and then to Mme R. de Brecey, also in Paris, before returning to the firm in New York and Paris.
On 2 March 1963, Durand-Ruel sold the painting to Sam Salz, Inc. in New York, which in turn sold it on 20 September 1963 to Ailsa Mellon Bruce in New York. Following Bruce's death in 1969, the painting entered the National Gallery of Art in 1970 as part of her bequest.
Peasant Girl with a Straw Hat (1881) is held by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Its provenance traces from the artist, Camille Pissarro, who transferred the painting to the dealers Durand-Ruel in Paris on 25 August 1891. It subsequently passed to Mme. Aude of Paris, another member of the Durand-Ruel family identified as Mme R. de Brecey, and was handled by Durand-Ruel in New York and Paris. On 2 March 1963 the firm sold the work to Sam Salz, Inc., New York, which in turn sold it on 20 September 1963 to Ailsa Mellon Bruce (1901–1969) of New York. Bruce bequeathed the painting to the NGA in 1970, where it remains in the collection.
Overview
Camille Pissarro's oil on canvas, Peasant Girl with a Straw Hat, dates from 1881. This painting presents a young girl in a straw hat, seated calmly and gazing directly forward. The artist's meticulous rendering of her features and attire imbues the figure with a sense of authenticity and presence, characteristic of Pissarro's approach to portraiture.
Subject & Meaning
The girl's modest clothing and straw hat clearly identify her as a peasant, a frequent subject in 19th-century art. Pissarro, however, approached such figures with a distinctive sensibility, often capturing their individual character rather than merely depicting a social type. Her direct gaze engages the viewer, suggesting a quiet dignity and an inner life beyond her social status.
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