Wednesday’s Wood engraver … Lucien Pissarro

Today I wander a little way from my Wednesday theme; because it is my theme and the images are pretty.  I am enjoying finding out more about women wood engravers but came across these by Lucien Pissarro and couldn’t resist sharing them.  

Pissarro (1863-1944), the landscape painter, wood engraver and printer, was born in Paris.  He studied with his father Camille the French impressionist  and was influenced by Georges Seurat and Paul Signac.  He came to Britain in 1870 during the Franco-Prussian war and returned later in 1890 when he settled permanently in London.  He married and had a daughter who also became an artist.  During this time he met Charles Ricketts and Charles Shannon and contributed wood cuts to their Dial an art journal.  In 1894 he founded the Eragny Press and with his wife printed illustrated books until 1914, during this time he he designed the typeface Brook Type. Pissarro associated with Walter Sickert and in 1906 he became a member of the New English Art Club.  Between 1913 and 1919 he painted landscapes in southern England and during this time he became a British citizen.   

Pissarro went on to become a founder member of the Camden Town Group of artists and formed the Manarro Group giving artists who had been inspired by the impressionist a place to show their work this opportunity was short lived.  

From 1922 to 1937 Pissarro visited the south of France and ventured to Wales and Derbyshire to paint.  

He died in Dorset 1n 1944.