The Pont Neuf 1901

Camille Pissarro made this painting of the Pont Neuf in 1901, and its a perfect example of how Impressionists were just trying to catch the feeling of a place, right? It's like he's saying, "Here's what it felt like to be there." Look at how he's built up the surface with these little jabs of color. The paint is thick, almost crusty in places, but then he thins it out for the sky, letting the light bounce off the canvas. See how the bare branches of the trees kind of scratch across the surface? Those marks are so key, they make the whole scene feel alive, like it's breathing. The way he captures the smokey haze of the city is just amazing. Pissarro's got this thing in common with Cezanne: a deep understanding that painting is a process, not just a picture. It's about building up layers, making marks, and letting the paint do its thing. It's a conversation, a back-and-forth between the artist and the materials, and the result is always something unexpected, something true.