The artwork “The Poultry Market at Pontoise” is an oil on canvas painting by the artist Camille Pissarro, completed in 1882. This piece exemplifies the Impressionist movement, with its vivid portrayal of a genre scene. Measuring 81.7 by 65.7 centimeters, the artwork is housed at the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, California, U.S.
The artwork depicts a bustling rural market with a focus on the sale of poultry. It presents an array of market-goers engaged in the activities of buying and selling. In the foreground, a woman with her back turned to the viewer stands prominently, dressed in traditional attire with a red headscarf. The light appears to dapple across her blouse and the gathered crowd, illuminating various figures and objects within the busy market setting.
The artist has employed a palette of warm earthy tones mixed with splashes of brighter colors to capture the vibrancy of the market atmosphere. Different textures, from the softness of the clothing to the feathers of the poultry being sold, are rendered through Pissarro’s loose, dabbing brushstrokes characteristic of Impressionist technique. The composition draws the viewer’s eye across the canvas, from the central figures to the scattered goods and the figures in the background, thereby communicating a sense of liveliness and the everyday hustle of the market scene.
