“The Pont Boieldieu, Rouen, Damp Weather” is an oil on canvas painting created by the artist Camille Pissarro in 1896. This work is representative of the Impressionist art movement, featuring a cityscape genre. The painting measures 73.7 x 91.4 cm and is currently housed at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) in Toronto, Canada.
In the painting, Pissarro depicts the bustling activity around the Pont Boieldieu in Rouen, France. The gloomy, overcast sky permeates the composition with a sense of damp weather, suggested by the title. Pissarro employs a dappled brushwork technique quintessential to Impressionist art, capturing the transient effects of light and atmosphere. The palette is predominantly composed of muted blues, grays, and earth tones with touches of brighter colors to denote figures and activities.
A steam tugboat, identifiable by the plume of smoke, makes its way under the arches of the bridge, signifying modern industrial movement. On the bridge, tiny figures of people can be seen going about their day, hinting at the rhythm of city life. The river below reflects the sky and the structures, creating a sense of harmony between the urban setting and the water. On the riverbank, we observe more people mingling, carts, and goods ready for transport, all contributing to the scene’s vitality. The artwork, typical of Pissarro’s urban scenes, is a snapshot of modern life during the Impressionist era, capturing both the beauty and the gritty reality of industrial progress.
