The Tuileries Gardens 1900

Camille Pissarro painted *The Tuileries Gardens* using oil on canvas. The hazy atmosphere is achieved through the layering of brushstrokes, a process that reflects Impressionism’s focus on capturing fleeting moments. The materiality of paint is crucial here. Pissarro wasn’t just representing a scene, he was using the very substance of his medium to evoke a sense of light and air. The application of paint, traditionally a slow and deliberate process, became a means of mass production in the 19th century with the advent of pre-mixed paints in tubes, sold to artists. This commodification of art supplies democratized painting, allowing artists to work more quickly and spontaneously and to explore subjects outside the traditional confines of the studio, as Pissarro does here. Ultimately, understanding the physical qualities of the work, and the social context of its making, allows us to appreciate the true depth of Pissarro’s vision.