Camille Pissarro Art Prints

French artist Camille Pissarro had a Sephardic Jewish father, a Dominican Spanish mum and was born on the Danish West Indian colony of St Thomas in the Caribbean. A somewhat confused child, 12-year-old Camille was sent away to boarding school in Paris where, on noticing his artistic skills, his perceptive (not to mention, profoundly patronising) teacher advised his young pupil to 'take advantage' of his tropical island life and draw lots and lots of coconut trees (hence the abundance of nut laden palms in Camille's masterwork, 'Haymakers Resting').

On returning to the Caribbean, Camille took sir's advice, not only spending time making studies of the various husky types that hung around the island but also sketching the attractive local seaport and neglecting his duties in the family business. It was during one of these sketching sessions that he met the Danish artist with whom he ran away to Venezuela (the way one does).

Camille settled in Paris in 1855 but, around the time of the Franco-Prussian War, decided to take a little holiday in England and enjoy the works of Turner. As well as being an active Impressionist and being the only member of the group to show at all eight of their exhibitions (thus qualifying for their 'drive the white Merc' for a week' award). Camille was also said to be a great teacher and counted amongst his pupils: Gauguin (slow learner), Cézanne (attention deficiency disorder), Mary Cassatt (teacher's pet) and Lucien Pissarro (fruit of the great man's loins). Camille continued painting until he ran out of coconuts.