Norman Rockwell

popular name: Camille Pissarro

date_of_death: November 13, 1903

age: 73

cause_of_death: Sepsis

claim_to_fame: Artists

best_know_for: 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.

popular name: Georges Seurat

date_of_death: March 29, 1891

age: 31

cause_of_death: Infectious angina, meningitis, pneumonia

claim_to_fame: Artists

best_know_for: Georges Seurat was a French painter and one of the pioneers of the Pointillist movement, a technique where paintings are made up of tiny dots of color. Born on December 2, 1859, in Paris, Seurat studied at the École des Beaux-Arts, where he developed his unique style. His most famous work, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte (1884–1886), exemplifies Pointillism, using meticulous color theory to create vibrant, luminous scenes and is considered one of the icons of late 19th-century painting. Seurat's approach was rooted in scientific studies of color and optics, drawing on the work of theorists like Michel Eugène Chevreul. Although his career was short—he died in 1891 at just 31—his influence on modern art was profound. Seurat also worked with large-scale compositions, focusing on the impact of light and color. His innovative techniques laid the foundation for future movements such as Post-Impressionism and even elements of abstraction. Despite his early death, Seurat's legacy endures, and he remains a significant figure in the evolution of modern art. Upon his untimely death, he was laid to rest at Cimetière du Père-Lachaise in Paris, France.

popular name: Gustave Caillebotte

date_of_death: February 21, 1894

age: 45

cause_of_death: Stroke

claim_to_fame: Artists

best_know_for: Gustave Caillebotte was a French painter who was a member and patron of the Impressionists, although he painted in a more realistic manner than many others in the group. He was noted for his early interest in photography as an art form, and is best known for his paintings of urban Paris, such as The Europe Bridge (Le Pont de l'Europe) (1876), and Paris Street; Rainy Day (Rue de Paris; temps de pluie, also known as La Place de l'Europe, temps de pluie) (1877). Born in Paris in 1848, Caillebotte studied law and engineering before fighting in the Franco–Prussian War from 1870 to 1871. After the war’s end, he studied at the studio of Léon Bonnat and later at the École des Beaux Arts. Upon meeting Edgar Degas, Auguste Renoir and Claude Monet, Caillebotte experimented further with capturing the changing face of everyday Parisian life. Caillebotte made his debut in the second Impressionist exhibition in 1876, showing eight paintings, including Les raboteurs de parquet (The Floor Scrapers) (1875), his earliest masterpiece. Cropping and "zooming-in", techniques that commonly are found in Caillebotte's oeuvre, may also be the result of his interest in photography, but may just as likely be derived from his intense interest in perspective effects. A large number of Caillebotte's works also employ a very high vantage point, including View of Rooftops (Snow) (Vue de toits (Effet de neige)) (1878), Boulevard Seen from Above (Boulevard vu d'en haut) (1880), and A Traffic Island (Un refuge, boulevard Haussmann) (1880).