The Negress
1867
Camille Pissarro, the only artist to participate in all eight Impressionist exhibitions, created this intimate print early in his career. Born in the Caribbean island of St. Thomas, Pissarro brought a unique perspective to French art, often depicting black subjects with a quiet dignity rarely seen in the 1860s. The woman sits on a step, her gaze turned away, rendered in scratchy, energetic lines that foreshadow his later Impressionist style. The handwritten note '2e etat' at the bottom reveals this is a 'second state' of the print, showing the artist tinkering with the composition—a peek into his meticulous process.
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