Camille Pissarro

AKA:
Dean of the Impressionist Painters
Birth Name:
Jacob Abraham Camille Pissarro
Birth Date:
July 10, 1830
Birth Place:
Charlotte Amalie, Saint Thomas, Danish West Indies
Death Date:
November 13, 1903
Place of Death:
1 Boulevard Morland, 4th Arrondissement, Paris, France
Age:
73
Cause of Death:
Sepsis
Cemetery Name:
Cimetière du Père Lachaise
Claim to Fame:
Artists
Camille Pissarro (1830–1903) was a French Danish painter and one of the key figures in the development of Impressionism and Post-Impressionism. Born in the Danish West Indies (now the U.S. Virgin Islands), he moved to France at age 12 to study art. His early work was influenced by the realism of Gustave Courbet, but over time, Pissarro became a central figure in the Impressionist movement. Pissarro's style evolved throughout his career, initially focusing on capturing the effects of light and atmosphere in natural scenes. He was a key contributor to the group's revolutionary approach to painting, using loose brushwork and an emphasis on outdoor scenes. His work often depicted rural landscapes, urban scenes, and daily life. Later, influenced by Georges Seurat's pointillism, Pissarro incorporated this technique into his work during his time in Paris. Pissarro was not only important as an artist but also as a mentor and friend to many other artists, including Paul Cézanne, Paul Gauguin,, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Georges Seurat. Despite facing financial hardships and occasional criticism of his work, he remained dedicated to his artistic vision despite living in poverty. He continued to paint prolifically until an eye disease rendered him blind and he died shortly after in 1903, leaving behind a legacy that cemented his place as one of the most significant artists in the transition from realism to modern art. Upon his death, Camille was buried at Cimetière du Père-Lachaise in Paris, France.

Fun Facts

In 1871 in Croydon, England, he married his mother’s maid, Julie Vellay, a vineyard grower’s daughter, with whom he had seven children, six of whom would become painters. The grandson of Camille Pissarro, Hugues Claude Pissarro (dit Pomié), was born in 1935 and his work has been featured in exhibitions in Europe and the United States, and he was commissioned by the White House in 1959 to paint a portrait of U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower. He now lives and paints in Donegal, Ireland, with his wife Corinne who is also an accomplished artist and their children.

During World War II many original Pissarro paintings were looted from Jewish owners. After the war many of those paintings found their way into the United States illegallydisplayed at such museums as the Jewish Museum in New York and the University of Oklahoma.

The most expensive impressionist painting by Pissarro sold to date is Boulevard Montmartre (Spring Morning) which sold for £19.9 million when auctioned by Sotheby’s in London in February 2014, giving it an adjusted price of $38.3 million.

Cemetery Information:

Final Resting Place:

Cimetière du Père Lachaise

16 Rue du Repos, 6ème division, Chemin Lesseps

Paris, , 75020

France

Europe

Map:

Map of Cimetière du Père-Lachaise in Paris, France
Map of Cimetière du Père-Lachaise in Paris, France

Grave Location:

Division 7, Avenue Rachel, Section 3, Ligne 2, Number 13

Grave Location Description

As you enter the cemetery from the Rue de Repo gate, take an immediate right onto Avenue Rachel and the famed impressionist artist is 47 burial plots from the intersection on the left (or 22 burial plots past the infamous Rothschild banking family) second row in.

Grave Location GPS

48.859197, 2.391686

Photos:

[+]
[+]
[+]
[+]
[+]
[+]
[+]
[+]
[+]
[+]

FAQ's

Camille Pissarro was born on July 10, 1830.

Camille Pissarro was born in Charlotte Amalie, Saint Thomas, Danish West Indies.

Camille Pissarro died on November 13, 1903.

Camille Pissarro died in 1 Boulevard Morland, 4th Arrondissement, Paris, France.

Camille Pissarro was 73.

The cause of death was Sepsis.

Camille Pissarro's grave is in Cimetière du Père Lachaise

Read More About Camille Pissarro:

Videos Featuring Camille Pissarro:

See More:

Auguste Rodin

popular name: Auguste Rodin

date_of_death: November 17, 1917

age: 77

cause_of_death: Pulmonary edema

claim_to_fame: Artists

best_know_for: Auguste Rodin, a French sculptor generally considered the founder of modern sculpture, lived a life marked by perseverance, innovation, and profound artistic evolution. Born into a modest family in Paris, Rodin struggled academically and faced repeated rejection from the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts. These early setbacks shaped his self-reliant approach, encouraging him to pursue training through practical work rather than formal schooling. He spent many years as a craftsman and ornamental sculptor, quietly honing the technical mastery that would later underpin his revolutionary style. Later in life, his studio became a hub of creative exploration, supported by numerous assistants, collaborators, and pupils. Among them was Camille Claudel, a brilliant sculptor whose artistic and personal relationship with Rodin had a lasting impact on both their careers. He is known for such sculptures as The Thinker, Monument to Balzac, The Kiss, The Burghers of Calais, and The Gates of Hell.

Norman Rockwell

popular name: Norman Rockwell

date_of_death: November 8, 1978

age: 84

cause_of_death: Emphysema

claim_to_fame: Artists

best_know_for: Norman Rockwell was a prolific American painter and artist, producing more than 4,000 original works in his lifetime. He is most famous for the cover illustrations of everyday life he created for The Saturday Evening Post magazine over nearly five decades. Among the best-known of Rockwell's works are the Willie Gillis series, Rosie the Riveter, The Problem We All Live With, Saying Grace, and the Four Freedoms series.

Andrew Wyeth

popular name: Andrew Wyeth

date_of_death: January 16, 2009

age: 91

cause_of_death: Died in his sleep after a brief illness.

claim_to_fame: Artists

best_know_for: Andrew Wyeth (1917–2009) was a prominent American realist painter, best known for his detailed and emotionally evocative works that captured the rural landscapes and people of Pennsylvania and Maine. Born in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, he was the youngest of five children of famed illustrator N.C. Wyeth, who served as both his teacher and greatest influence. Wyeth gained national recognition in 1948 with his painting Christina’s World, which became one of the most iconic images in American art. Throughout his career, he worked primarily in watercolor and tempera, developing a muted, meticulous style that reflected his introspective nature and deep attachment to his surroundings. Despite his popularity with the public, Wyeth’s work often sparked debate among critics, some praising his technical mastery and emotional depth, while others viewed him as overly nostalgic.

Back to Top