Depths of Glory: A Biographical Novel of Camille Pissarro

by Irving Stone

A fictional profile of the painter traces his life and career at the center of a circle of artists who founded Impressionism

Genres: Historical Fiction, Art, Fiction, France, Historical, Art History, American

624 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

In 1923, Stone received his bachelor's degree from the University of California, Berkeley. In the 1960s, Stone received an honorary Doctorate of Letters from the University of Southern California, where he had previously earned a Masters Degree from the College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences.

When at home, Stone relied upon the research facilities and expertise made available to him by Esther Euler, head research librarian of the University of California at Los Angeles, to whom he dedicated and thanked, in addition to many others, in several of his works.

Stone enjoyed a long marriage to his wife and editor on many of his works, Jean Stone. The Stones lived primarily in Los Angeles, California. During their lifetime, Stone and his wife funded a foundation to support charitable causes they believed in.

Stone's main source for Lust for Life, as noted in the afterword, were Van Gogh's letters to his brother Theo. It seems probable that Vincent's letters to and from his own brother Theo provided a foundation for Adversary in the House. Stone additionally did much of his research "in the field". For example, he spent many years living in Italy while working on The Agony and the Ecstasy. The Italian government lauded Stone with several honorary awards during this period for his cultural achievements highlighting Italian history.

From Wikipedia

Reviews

[Justo Martiañez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Si queréis daros un paseo maravilloso por una de las épocas más importantes de la Historia de Arte, este es el libro.
Viviremos la vida de Camille Pissarro, pertenecieente a una famila judía franco-holandesa, con antecedentes sefarditas, y con él la vida de alguno de los más importantes pintores de la historia: Monet, Manet, Renoir, Seurat, Van Gogh, Sisley, Signac, Cezanne, Cassat, Morisot, Guillaumin, Degás y todos los demás. Asistiremos al nacimiento del impresionismo y todos los movimientos que le siguieron.
También descubriremos que la vida de muchos de estos genios fue muy dura, algunos no siquiera pudieron vender una obra en vida, como Van Gogh, otros, como Pissarro, pintaron y pintaron, perseveraron en su arte y malvivieron y pasaron hambre durante años, sacando adelante a su familia con grandes privaciones. Por lo menos alguno de ellos, como Pissarro, al final de su vida alcanzaron algún reconocimiento y pudieron vivir con alguna holgura económica. A estos últimos años pertenecen las vistas de París, que realizó desde su piso, y de las que tenemos algún ejemplo en el Museo Thyssen.

También pone en valor la actitud de los pocos que creyeron en ellos, como el marchante Durand-Ruel, que con sus compras los mantuvo a flote en momentos críticos.
Irvine Stone es un gran escritor de Biografías, pero esta, en algún momento se hace cuesta arriba, como la vida del protagonista.
Recomendable. Para los que le guste la pintura, y sobre todo el Impresionismo, imprescindible.

[Pat]

I loved this book. Pisarro has long been my favorite impressionist painter. I went thru a phase where I just couldn't get enough of him, his works, and wanted to learn all I could about his life and times. He came alive for me in this book, as did his dedicated wife and his fascinating contemporaries.

Stone did a masterful job of opening a window on life in 19th century France. He captured the exhilaration of Paris at a time when it was growing from glory to glory... the quiet sadness of the countryside and small towns whose way of life was slipping away into history... and the ardent struggle of a man whose life passion never faltered as the beacon that gave him strength and courage, and which defined every aspect of his days. Masterful.

I developed a strange kinship with his wife Julie throughout the book. She stood by his side through everything, many more lean years than successful ones. She completely believed in him and his dream, and made untold sacrifices to keep a comfortable home for him and their large family, giving him all the room he needed to live his craft, to complete his gift to the world. She was human. There were days when she was close to despair. But she always pushed through. I feel grateful to her for the role she played in being the woman behind this truly great artist.

[Hayley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first Irving Stone novel, and I hope to find that all his novels are as glorious as this one. I truly appreciate Stone's extensive and expansive research. I can also appreciate that this is a novel, not a biography in its strictest concept, so it didn't bother me when Irving stated Pisarro's feelings, reactions, or of course, "quotes". I loved how Stone gave the characters life but still allowed you to make your own decision. I enjoyed but (truthfully skimmed) over passages of painting techniques. I think these passages still gave great meaning to the entire "picture". I tried to look up as many paintings as I could while I read which gave me even greater appreciation for the Impressionist movement. I think my appreciation for the novel would have been less if we had not just finished our French year in book club. I was excited to hear the painters befriend authors, especially Zola and speak of others like Balzac, De Maupassant, and Flaubert, but befriend each other too, like Van Gogh, Cassatte, Renoir, Degas, Monet, Manet, and on and on. I enjoyed their friendships immensely. This book is worth the read.

[Laurie]

650 pages of ill-edited but good hearted prose lead me to wonder if I would dislike Lust for Life or The Agony and the Ecstasy, which I loved as a high-schooler, perhaps filtered through the Charlton Heston and Kirk Douglas movie epics. No one is going to make a movie of this novel, I think. Michelangelo's struggles with the Sistine chapel and Van Gogh's lopped off ear and suicide have natural dramatic appeal, while Pissarro's good nature and lack of material success are more prosaic. The narrative picks up a bit when a more dramatic artist crosses Camille's path, like Gauguin, or Cézanne, or Monet. Perhaps the most interesting thing about Pissarro other than his participation in the turmoil of the Impressionist and Pointillist movements is his creation of a family of artists: almost all of his offspring, and grandchildren and great grandchildren as well, became talented artists, despite their first hand experience of the lack of material rewards of their father's calling. The novel has the virtue of sending us back to the art, and it's hard to understand why these beautiful canvases were so bitterly attacked. Also it reminds us of the shameful Dreyfus affair, and the general anti-semitism of the age. Perhaps best skimmed through.

[Paul Gaya Ochieng Simeon Juma · Rating 5 out of 5]

"One should work at what gives him meaning and fulfillment." "Is it better to be a failed painter than a successful businessman?" "For you and father, no. For me, yes."

"One thing more. Take it as advice from an old man. Never marry. The road is too long and hard. Families, responsibilities weigh heavily; they prevent you from getting your work done. Women, yes; love, no. You are already in love with art. Remain faithful."

I have just re-discovered Irving Stone. My first novel that I read by him was 'Clarence Darrow for the Defense'. Although I enjoyed it, I was very much intimidated by the sheer volume of his novels. Couldn't imagine myself reading through all those pages. But now things have changed. I am really enjoying his huge novels including this one.

In Depths of Glory, Stone recounts the life of Camille Pissarro and art, the latter being the passion and lodestar of his life. He used art as an antidote against earth's inferno. He was never in hell with art. Although his life was difficult, through art he always had hope. His marriage was a happy one despite the biting poverty. He was also surrounded by friends such as Manet, Monet, Delacroix, Cezzane, Cassat, Zola and a cast of other big names from the art and literary world. He was never lonely and he was happy. This book was deeply gratifying.

[Susan Roden · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must of liked this book a lot, as I kept on reading too late at night, and when I had chores or other things that needed to be done. As the book went on, I was torn between reading to the end, and slowing down to make the book last longer.

I learned a lot about the evolution of Impressionism painting in France, the painters themselves, and the relationships among the painters. Also a lot about the history of France during the second half of the 19th century.

The author ties a lot of facts into a very interesting story. For a 600 page novel, the author kept the pace moving - and this is not near an adventure novel.

I strongly recommend this book for anyone interested in Impressionist painters, or a picturesque story of life in France during the later 1800's.

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Art History Geek that I am, I enjoyed this book. Irving Stone always does a good job. One thing that used to bother me when I read about artists was not having the paintings included when they are being described. Now, google adds to the book because I can study the painting as I read. Pisarro pissaroed me off sometimes. I felt bad for his family's poverty. He thought only of painting.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written must-read historical novel for anyone who loves the French Impressionists!

[Joel Robert Ballard · Rating 5 out of 5]

" A motif is a composition or structure in nature. The painter looks for one that will start his creative faculties flowing, make him want to conquer it and preserve it for all to see. It is not something that is perfect. Rather it is a sight, an impression that challenges as well as disturbs, that induces a fervor high enough to put us to work with our charcoal or brush. "
— Camille Pissarro

The starving artist; a romanticized image that has long become both iconic and poetically heroic. It is often viewed as the stoic painter sacrificing status, comfort, and convenience in dedicating their focus to an interpretation of their reality; a vision unique of the world that is communicated to them. The French painters of the mid-nineteenth century Paris, were often cited as examples of this social optic, yet in truth, found their lot much harsher, more impecunious, and less romantic than was often portrayed. Upon completion of Irving Stone's biographical novel, this becomes a truer portrayal in a fashion that will become endearingly clarified.

I've bestowed this book my highest rating, however, I must freely admit my candid subjectivity. Long have I admired these Impressionists for their singular role in the history of art; first as the rejected outsiders, ridiculed (at the Salon des Refusés), then as revolutionaries, and finally as innovators; dedicated and focused practitioners in creating visions lost on their 19th century contemporaries. They were a growing force, and in front of these "Independents" was Camille Pissarro and his intimate life story. I enthusiastically welcomed it. His was a narrative that goes beyond the many historical accounts and quotations, and deep into the wealth of his numerous paintings, drawings, and etchings. It now becomes a chronicle of his passion — albeit a "fictional" one— that projects both substance and personality to not just him, but to his family, his friends, his artistic peers and his, at times demanding yet still supportive dealers. And from the historical and social events shaping his accomplishments, we see his life of struggle from its impoverished beginnings. We marvel at how his stubborn convictions endured, conquering, to the heights of aspiration and the very Depths of Glory .

PARIS, 1855, Les Exposition Universelle
"Camille stood transfixed before the enormous cordoned-off hall of paintings, the vast blaze of color dominating the senses. Immediately in front of him were the exhibits {…} landscapes, portraits, still lifes, seascapes side by side, floor to high ceiling. 'How many paintings are hung here?' 'Over five thousand."

Jacob Abraham Camille Pissarro was a Danish-French Jew, born on the 10th of July, 1830, and from the day he arrived in Paris in 1855 to be near for a dying sister, he never considered any life other than that of being a painter. It was a dedication that would see him in constant debt, disowned by his parents, creatively undermined by critics, dependent upon the charity of friends, forced to flee from the Franco-Prussian War, victimized by anti-Semitism, become broken hearted with the death of his cherished nine-year old daughter, and begin suffering the discomforts from a failing eye.

However, for the most part, he remained in Paris. During this period of the late nineteenth century, there was a growing assemblage of artistic and literary talents proving to be the largest and most vital since the Italian based Renaissance. Here in Paris, artists like Corot, Anton Melbye, and Eugene Delacroix were already renowned, and showing at des Beaux Arts. Writers like Emile Zola, a "naturalist" who took on such radical positions as portraying the misery and harsh conditions of real life. And as pointed out in Irving Stones Glossary, The French Landscape, these independents could often be found in the surrounding ateliers, and cafes and its environs of the city:

“The artist was an isolated character, outré, exaggerated, and outside the mainstream of French life … generally lived in their own arrondissment , district, gathering at the local café, where they drank a café au lait, coffee with milk, a biére , beer, or vin ordinarie, an anonymous table wine. The café became their club … and made good sightseeing for the rest of the customers.”

Among those listening and watching was a young Camille Pissarro.

Never lose sight of that first impression by which you were moved. The only way to get prepared is to begin.
— Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot

Upon arrival in Paris, Camille had declared his intentions to devote all his time to painting, which was not welcome news for parents who had other plans for him. He was seen as being impractical. Yet despite his mother’s distress and a father who, while sympathetic to his son’s desire, was unwilling to go against his wife, Camille struggled from the beginning. With little financial or emotional support, also adding to the conflict was his falling in love and impregnating the family maid, Julie Vellay. However, his parents refused to approve any marriage. And so Camille calmly continued, finding his place and making his pictures, and heeding advice and direction from respected artists of that day. Soon he discovered the joys of painting outdoors; how it would eventually lead him to new discoveries about nature and people, and ultimately have him become the father of the Impressionist movement.

And so, it began.
Together with his longtime friend from Venezuela, Danish painter Fritz Melbye, along with newly acquainted artists David Jacobsen and Antoine Guillemet, Camille set out to earn a place among the Parisian artists, with a goal to show in the official Salon.

" Known as the "Guerbois group", after the café where they met, then the "Batignolles", after the district where they lived, then the "Société Anonyme" as they debuted their first exhibit. Their detractors ridiculed them and called them something else. Pissarro replied "Corot, the first time I was taken to his studio told me … I was to paint my impression of what I saw as reflected though my feelings. We’re all Impressionists? Good. Let us wear the name as a badge of honor It has meaning."

The circle of independents soon expanded, with the Paul Cezanne, Oscar-Claude Monet, Frédéric Bazille, August Renoir, Charles-François Daubigny, Édouard Manet, Berthe Morisot, Edgar Degas, and Mary Cassatt. In time he embraced Neo-Impressionism, and Pointillism with Gustave Caillebotte, Paul Gauguin, and Georges Seurat, ultimately spending time with the Van Gogh brothers; tutoring and encouraging Vincent in the fields and countrysides, and utilizing the savy dealing and marketing skills of the younger Theo.

The Banks of the Marne in Winter (1866) Oil on canvas

" It was a year of ecstasy in which he felt he was striding seven feet above the earth, when he and nature, his palette, canvas, brushes and colors became one ... Exhausted but exultant, he felt that this one canvas alone justified all his years of disappointment and struggle."

Depths of Glory , originally published in 1985, is meticulous in its research, graceful in its narrative, heart rending it its tragedies, and inspiring as an example of a mans dedication to fulfilling a dream. Camille Pissarro's dream, was unlike most of his contemporaries. He did not drive himself through the rigors of poverty and hunger, watch his family struggle, rise up with the occasional recognition be able to pay off his loans, only to then sink again. The repetition of this existence was endured as he held on for his one hope for fulfillment. His dream was for no financial reward other than to simply get by, nor was it for making an impact or changing the trajectory of modern art. His dream was a simple one: to have an "artist family." He raised and taught sons who were talented in their own right, and his source of inspiration and pride. And with the arrival of a granddaughter, he became overjoyed, endeared with her first picture, announcing that his artist family had now become generational.

Camille Pissarro married Julie Vellay, and of their 8 children, 1 died at birth and 1 daughter died aged 9. However, the surviving children all painted, sons Lucien, Georges, Félix, Ludovic-Rodolphe, Paul Emile, and 2nd daughter Jeanne.

The story of Camille Pissarro, his education, struggle, and development as a painter began with that first visit to Les Exposition Universelle in 1855, and continued with his return again in 1900. It is an astonishing chronicle of his life and the Impressionist Movement and a most intimate and humane telling; filled with grief and joy and the ethical dynamics of simply trying to survive. Irving Stone has brilliantly called role for the greatest influences in art and literature of the time; talented individuals who not only produced the art, but established a social mind set of what is acceptable, who bartered, promoted, bought and sold to help each other while struggling to become recognized.

" ... he cried with each painting 'This is it! This is what I wanted to say.' He did not believe in inspiration, a meaningless mystical word denoting some power beyond ones functioning faculties. Yet if there were such a thing as total creativity he felt he had achieved it (in this canvas) ..."

The "starving artist" of the late 19th century Paris provided a feast for future generations, be they artists, writers, or simply individuals struggling every day to just survive. For in their work, one finds not only the beauty of light, the shadows of despair, and the heights of a dream, but also in the life of Camille Pissarro, the Depths of Glory .

"… he felt it was a leap forward in transcribing what was considered to be ordinary, meaningless, into scenes of pictorial grandeur and loveliness, celebrating man’s accomplishments in the creating of cities; the courageous souls walking its boulevards in the heat, rain, snow, sleet, somehow going about the business of being alive."

Being alive.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

It has been awhile since I read Depths of Glory by Irving Stone, but being a fan of both Impressionism and anything Paris, I have got to say this was one of the most riveting and enjoyable novels I have ever read.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book about the life of artist Camille Pisarro, taking place in Paris, France in the 1800's

[Nadine Clayton · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was from this book that I went in search of Pissarro's work and from there, fell completely in love

[Michelle Bastian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprised by how much i liked this book and how fun it was to research these artists and enjoy their work.

[Luis Amaya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excelente novela biográfica de uno de los más grandes pintores impresionistas.

[Petar · Rating 4 out of 5]

*English version of the review is provided below*

Ukupna ocena za oba toma: 4.5

Prava poslastica za ljubitelje umetnosti!

Još jedno sjajno romansirano delo iz Stounovog pera - ovaj put o životu slikara-impresioniste Kamija Pisaroa, koji se, na moje iznenađenje, iako za života uglavnom manje popularan od Kloda Monea, ipak pokazao kao centralna figura pravca koji bez njegove upornosti svakako ne bi postigao toliki uspeh.

Ako se izuzme prvih dvestotinjak strana I toma, koje su "uvod u priču" i stoga malo suvoparnije i praznije u smislu događanja, ostatak ne prestaje da fascinira piščevom sposobnošću da ležerno uklopi pozamašnu količinu detalja (do nivoa cene svake prodate slike) u fluidan, skoro idealan hronološki tok biografije gusto ispunjene događajima - kako na unutrašnjem, tako i na spoljašnjem planu.


Pored teške, ali na kraju uspešne životne priče glavnog lika, Stoun fantastično opisuje dinamiku i životne puteve ostalih pripadnika impresionističke slikarske grupe - Monea, Manea, Degaa, Sezana, Renoara i ostalih, ali i dodir sa drugim pravcima koji su već postojali, ili su se pojavljivali uporedo: Barbizonska (Fontenbloška) škola - Koro, Dobinji, Mije; zatim poentilizam (kome je i Pisaro pripadao), kao i postimpresionizam (Gogen i Van Gog) - počev od prvih "neslavnih" pokušaja afirmacije pa sve do "Dubine slave".

Verno i živopisno se prikazuje i ceo društveni, politički i umetnički milje Francuske - uključujući književni (Zola, Bodler) u periodu od sredine, pa sve do kraja 19. veka; posredno se dotiče i ostatak kontinentalne Evrope, Britanija i Amerika kroz razne događaje sa posebnim naglaskom stavljenim na modernizaciju i urbanizaciju Pariza pod palicom Napoleona III, Francusko-Pruski rat i posledično izbeglištvo, Parisku komunu, "otkrivanje" američkog kontinenta kao obećavajućeg tržišta.

Zadivljujuća je krunska uloga galerista poput Diran-Rijela i Tea van Goga, koji su iskrenom i jakom verom u kvalitet dela najviše pomogli impresionistima da pobede konzervatizam, neofobiju i zatucanost što običnog sveta, što umetničke "elite" tadašnjeg vremena, ali i drugarstva samih pripadnika grupe, koji su svesrdno pomagali saborcima da prežive najteže životne trenutke.

Ništa manje nije važna bila ni podrška ekscentričnih ljubitelja umestnosti - dr Gašea, koji ih je lečio razmenjujući svoje usluge za slike, a ni oca-Tangija, pariskog prodavca boja i slikarskog materijala koji bi često davao potrepštine na veresiju, uprkos svom skromnom materijalnom stanju; štaviše - slike impresionista koje niko nije želeo, otac-Tangi izlagao je u svom izlogu.

Ono što je meni lično najfrapantniji detalj u celoj priči, pored toga da je termin 'impresionista' izvorno skovan i upotrebljivan u pogrdnom smislu, jeste stepen antisemitizma koji je postojao u tadašnjem Francuskom društvu - ništa manji nego u Nemačkoj tridesetih godina XX veka, pa, nažalost, čak i među nekima od samih impresionista.


-------- ENGLISH version ---------

Overall rate: 4.5

A true delicacy for art lovers!

Another masterpiece out of the Stone's pen - this time about the life of the impressionist painter Camille Pissarro, who to my surprise, appears to be the central figure of the movement which would have been far less successful without his presence (even though he mostly used to be less popular in his lifetime than Claude Monet).

Leave the somewhat dull first 200+ "introductory" pages aside - the rest fascinates with the writer's mastery to imperceptibly incorporate a vast amount of the finest details (e.g. the exact prices of the sold pictures), blending them into a fluid, almost completely chronologically ordered biography - eventful both on the internal, and external plane.


Beyond the challenging, yet eventually successful life story of the main character, Stone brilliantly portraits the group dynamics and life paths of the other impressionists - Monet, Manet, Degas, Cezanne, Renoir and others, including the interaction with other existing or emerging movements of the time: Barbizon School (Coro, Dobigni, Millet), Pointillism (which Pissaro also was a part of), and Post-impressionism (Gauguin, Van Gogh) - starting with the early, "inglorious" days, all the way to the "Depths of Glory".

Stone truly and vividly paints the French societal, political, and artistic milieu - literary included (Zola, Baudelaire) - from the middle, up to the end of the 19th century; additionally, a glimpse of the situation in the rest of the continental Europe, as well as in Britain and the US is indirectly provided through overview of various events of which the main focus is put on the development and urbanization of Paris under the rule of Napoleon III, Franco-Prussian War and consequent (re-)emigration, Paris Commune, and the discovery of the overseas as a promising market.

The crucial role of art-dealers like Durand-Ruel and Theo van Gogh in helping the impressionists to overcome the conservatism, neophobia and ignorance both of the regular people, as well as the artistic "elite" of the time, simply through having strong and persistent faith in the quality of the painters' creations is astonishing; what also tremendously helped the impressionists succeed are their strong friendships, supporting the comrades during the most desperate life moments.

Nothing less valuable was the support of eccentric art lovers - Dr Gachet, who treated poor artists in exchange for their paintings, or "father" Tanguy - a Parisian paint and art supplies seller who was often loaning necessary goods out to the artists and was exhibiting their unwanted work in the window of his shop, despite being of modest material condition himself.

Finally, what was quite shocking to learn about those times, besides the fact that the term 'impressionist' was initially coined and used as an insult, is the level of antisemitism that existed in the French society, nothing less serious than in Germany during 1930s; sadly, some of the impressionist themselves were not immune to it, either.

[Tim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although my rating is low, I recommend this book as a survey of the French Impressionist scene in the latter half of the 19th century. The quality of the writing is prosaic, and the book is over long and very repetitive. The refrain that Pissarro and his wife worried about how they were going to feed their family each day was repeated about a million times. An editor with a stronger hand would have been helpful. On the other hand, the book appears to be extensively researched, and if you don't know a lot about the Impressionists, you learn a lot. Since the book is historical fiction, it's not easy to tell what parts are historical and what parts are fiction, so we'll assume historical accuracy for the purpose of this review. The term "Impressionist" was originally derogatory. The Impressionists were not viewed positively by the art world generally during the mid 19th century, and with few exceptions don't appear to have gained much traction until sometime in the 20th century. The Impressionists for the most part all knew each other and seemed to be a sort of band of brothers, with some great friendships, some arguments, some reconciliations. They often painted together, ate together, hung out together. They had in common that the Paris Salon refused their paintings year after year because they didn't fit the Realism style of Corot and others. Many of them, including Pissarro, were anarchists (though Pissarro was a "peaceful anarchist"...). Though Pissarro and his wife constantly worried about where their next meal would come from, Pissarro was adamant that his children be artists, which was a constant disappoint meant to his wife, who wanted them to be able to earn a living. Pissarro followed his heart, but his idealism affected the lives of his family, who were consequently condemned to a life of poverty and struggle to survive. Many of the Impressionists make appearances in the book. Paul Gauguin was a successful stockbroker who collected Impressionist art, and then gave up his job to become a starving artist, and later abandoned his wife and children to go to Tahiti. Vincent Van Gogh came to Paris to visit his brother, Theo, who worked as an art dealer, and Vincent style changed to Impressionist. Pissarro changed his style to Pointillist after spending time with Seurat, but then later changed back (to somewhat of a hybrid). Most of the Impressionist fled Paris during the Franco-Prussian war, though some joined the army (for example Bazille, who was killed). The book is more interesting if you google the works of art as they are mentioned.

[Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating tale of one of the Impressionists that clues you in on the lives of them both as a group, several sub groups and divisions. Irving Stone is the original writer of the "biographical novel" and as with all of his others I've read (i.e. The Agony and the Ecstasy, The Passions of the Mind, Immortal Wife) this is another triumph. You feel as if you can see and respond to Pissarro as he grows, matures and creates his viable body of work.

[Patricia Boksa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe not quite a 4 star book but I couldn't give it just 3! A nice long cozy book to settle in to. Easy reading about a time and place - that I enjoy reading about - Paris and France during the time of the Impressionists. Pissarro didn't have a particularly exciting life, but a long hard struggle. It was interesting to read nonetheless. A bit too long, with a bit too much detail sometimes. But a nice companion book to sink into each day, during Covid isolation.

[Kenny Lawrence]

I'm not sure how I developed an inclination for Impressionism?!? I know I'm over 200 years late, but I feel like I've made it to the Café Guerbois and everyone here has something to offer. There are rich and poor, promiscuous and monogamous, well-dressed and disheveled, monarchist and anarchist. The conversation ranges from circumstantial to universal, sometimes tragic, always interesting.

[Kathie Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me a very long time to read this obviously. I read many books in between! It required that I actually hold a book in my hand, perish the thought! I love learning about the world of art and referencing the beautiful paintings of various artists through the years! I have always enjoyed Irving Stone and his ability to bring to life significant periods of history.

[Mallory · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the artist, so it was interesting to learn his history! All of his early trials and tribulations and finally, well earned success. I was also surprised to learn that many other artists I love all know each other and worked together.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars, rounded up. What I liked best: the novel made me eager to revisit the work of all the impressionists who appeared in the book. What could have been improved: the story drags at times; a good editor could have helped tighten it up.

[Lucky Tuck · Rating 3 out of 5]

This well written biography of Impressionist Camille Pissarro was heartbreaking. It tells the story of the struggles these artists endured, but little of their joys and success. Very infoming but overall, depressing.

[Beth Stephenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A deep dive into the life of a man and the times he occupied. The grace and courage it took to be who he was, to do what he did. A bow to the long-suffering Julie. I would love to hear this story from her point of view.

[Afsaneh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Irving Stone sets the scene patiently and skilfully, taking you to a journey into the second half of 19th century. The life, hardship and perseverance of emerging impressionists in France. It is a high quality book based on extensive research into arts and history of the time.

[Eliza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great historical references of this period. Didn't do a good job of story telling. Today's publishers would pass.

[Kathryn Lilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very detailed account of Camille Pissarro who was a painter, mentor, and leader of the Impressionists in France. I learned a lot and was amazed at how focused he was on his painting.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the descriptions of Paris in the 1880s, Pissarro and the Impressionists, their movement, their struggles, their relationships. So many specifics in this book. It's a long read but worth it.

[H. Weisel]

Fictional bio of the Impressionist painter, Camille Pissaro. The Impressionists put a heavy burden on their wives. But most of them stuck it out.

[Dave Bookshtein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best biographical novel i ever read, and a true must for any art or impressionist lovers.