France, 19th century / 1872
The Lock at Pontoise
The Lock at Pontoise
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs The Lock at Pontoise as painting (France, 19th century · 1872).
WHY IT’S INTERESTING
The river portrayed here is 212 miles (341 km) long.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this painting as oil on fabric and credits Camille Pissarro (French, 1830–1903).
The museum's collection notes: Pissarro was instrumental in developing the radically new Impressionist technique of painting quickly outdoors to capture fleeting effects of light and atmosphere. The rushing water and overcast sky in this view of a river lock near the artist’s home at Pontoise, a rural commune about 17 miles northwest of Paris, are rendered with rapid, broken brushstrokes of pure color. Painting directly on canvas without preliminary drawing, Pissarro may have executed this work in a single session. The shimmering surface of broken color conveys the sensation of natural, outdoor light.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtThe Lock at PontoiseOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.