Baigneuse aux oies (Bathers with Geese) 1895

Camille Pissarro made this etching, "Bathers with Geese", in France, a country in which the Impressionist movement was challenging academic norms. Here, the image shows a nude woman beside a gaggle of geese, all rendered in subtle and delicate lines. Pissarro was interested in capturing the effects of light and atmosphere, as well as everyday scenes of rural life. The image creates meaning through visual codes, cultural references, and historical associations. The image may be self-consciously progressive as it comes from a time when Impressionist artists were looking for a more modern and spontaneous approach to art, and were challenging the conservative institutions of the art world. Looking at the original documents from this period such as exhibition catalogues, art criticism, artists' letters, and dealer's records helps us to see the role of the artist in their historical context. Art is contingent on the social and institutional forces which shape its production and reception.