Steamboats in the Port of Rouen
| Support Type: | Canvas |
| Paint Type: | Oil Paint |
| Current Location: | Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York |
| Location History: | The painting was with the Galerie Georges Petit in Paris until 1933, when it was sold at Hotel Drouot, Paris on December 15, 1933 (lot no. 103) to Deville. By 1939, it had passed to Alphonse Bellier of Paris, where it remained until January 1951, when it was sold to Sam Salz of New York. In February 1951, Salz sold the painting to Arthur J. Neumark of New York, who held it for life. Upon his death in 1966, the painting was gifted to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains to this day. |
‘Steamboats in the Port of Rouen’ is a painting made by Camille Pissarro in the late 19th century. Pissarro is widely recognised in the world of painting for his contribution to both impressionism and post-impressionism. In fact, Pissarro has been referred to as the "dean of the Impressionist painters" by art historian John Rewald. When Pissarro came to Rouen for his second prolonged stay in 1896, he created this painting. Captivated by the splendor and beauty of the Rouen port, Pissarro created this exquisite piece of art. Pissarro painted what he saw from his hotel room window at the Hotel de Paris, which looked out over one of the city’s quays. . In the background across the river is the Saint-Sever area with its warehouses and wharves, which Pissarro loosely depicted in his artwork. Furthermore, the steamboats in his painting are positioned inside a scene that is shaped by light, water, air, and movement rather than a harsh city landscape. The artwork blends a natural setting with industrial life. This blending effect makes a strong impression on the observer. Overall, this masterpiece by Pissarro is a fine example of impressionism and is characterised by the use of transparent colors and light brushstrokes It should be noted that Pissarro painted other views of the bustling port from his hotel room as well. His other paintings of the port of Rouen include "Pont Boieldieu in Rouen, Rainy Weather," which is housed at the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto, and "Port de Rouen, Saint-Sever," which is presently housed in the Musee d'Orsay in Paris.