Camille Pissarro’s “Young Peasant Having Her Coffee” is an oil painting completed in 1881 and is currently located at the Art Institute of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The painting measures 65.3 x 54.8 cm and portrays a peasant girl drinking her coffee. Pissarro has captured her in a moment of respite from her labors. She is wearing a traditional bonnet with a blue shawl as she takes a break to sip her coffee. His use of light in the painting further renders a sense of calm and serenity among the viewer, allowing them to appreciate the beauty of ordinary life from his perspective.
The artwork serves as an important reminder that despite having been painted over 130 years ago, some aspects remain unchanged throughout the centuries: people would still take the time to take a break for relaxation during their day-to-day labors. It is also used to draw attention to other notable works by Pissarro such as “Les Chataigniers à Osny” which was completed around 1873 and is now located at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London, England. This artwork demonstrates Pissarro’s precocious artistry while emphasizing his commitment to capturing everyday life with an impressionistic lens.
