Lucien Pissarro in an Interior 1875

Camille Pissarro painted this intimate portrait of his son Lucien, probably in France, using oil on canvas. It shows the artist’s son indoors by a window, apparently absorbed in some creative pursuit. The domestic setting suggests the importance of family within artistic circles, and we may detect a progressive outlook in the encouragement of Lucien’s artistic interests. Pissarro was committed to capturing everyday life, rather than grand historical narratives, and this interest extended to his portrayal of his own family and his own home. By creating scenes of domesticity, he could be said to subtly challenge academic conventions which prioritized certain subjects over others. To understand more about the Pissarro family's significance within Impressionism, research into their correspondence and other documentary material from the period would be illuminating. Studying the work of other Impressionists will also clarify Pissarro's unique contribution to this movement. As historians, we recognize that art gains meaning from its context and from our investigations into it.