Last updated: 2 November 2026
Camille Pissarro (1830 to 1903) was the only painter to show at all eight Impressionist exhibitions, and he spent part of 1870 and 1871 painting in south London. The National Gallery shows two of his London pictures free and sells Camille Pissarro prints of his only night painting from £25.
Our take on Camille Pissarro as an artist
Pissarro was the steady centre of Impressionism: older than Monet, a mentor to Cézanne, and the one who kept turning up to exhibit. He also has a London story. Fleeing the Franco-Prussian War, he lived in Norwood and painted the streets of Sydenham.
The Camille Pissarro print on our editions page comes from much later. The Boulevard Montmartre at Night, 1897, is one of 14 views he painted from a Paris hotel window, and the only one at night: wet pavements, new electric street lamps and warm shop windows.
Looking back at The Avenue, Sydenham nearly 20 years later, he said "there is a striving for unity in it that fills me with joy", according to the National Gallery. That joy is easy to see in both pictures.
Camille Pissarro: the essentials
- Born on 10 July 1830 in Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas, in the Danish West Indies, and died on 13 November 1903, according to the National Gallery of Victoria. He died in Paris (The Met).
- Moved to Paris in 1855, where he met Monet, Guillaumin and later Cézanne at the Académie Suisse (Kunstmuseum Basel).
- Arrived in London in December 1870, fleeing the Franco-Prussian War, and lived in Upper Norwood. Fox Hill, Upper Norwood is probably his first London picture (National Gallery).
- Met the dealer Paul Durand-Ruel in London. The Avenue, Sydenham, 1871, is one of 12 pictures he painted there (National Gallery).
- Showed at all eight Impressionist exhibitions, from 1874 to 1886. The Ashmolean in Oxford holds what it calls the world's largest Pissarro collection.
Camille Pissarro exhibitions: now on and recent
No Pissarro exhibition is on in the UK right now. His work is on permanent view, and the latest big show toured the US and Germany:
- On view: National Gallery, London, Room 41: The Avenue, Sydenham and Fox Hill, Upper Norwood. Free.
- On view: Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, Gallery 65.
- The Honest Eye: Camille Pissarro's Impressionism, Denver Art Museum, 26 October 2025 to 8 February 2026, after Museum Barberini, Potsdam, 14 June to 28 September 2025.
- The EY Exhibition: Impressionists in London, Tate Britain, 2 November 2017 to 7 May 2018.
Recent Camille Pissarro auction results
His paintings sell for millions, but prints and works on paper come up more often. Two recent lots at Christie's Paris:
- Camille Pissarro, par lui-même, his self-portrait print, etching and drypoint, signed and titled in pencil. Sold for €62,230 against an estimate of €50,000 to €70,000 at Christie's Paris, April 2026.
- Le Bêcheur, 1881, gouache on silk, 26.2 x 21.4cm (10.3 x 8.4in). Sold for €358,400 against an estimate of €150,000 to €250,000 at Christie's Paris, October 2026.
Prices include buyer's premium. Last checked: 2 November 2026.
Where to buy Camille Pissarro prints
The Camille Pissarro print we list is The Boulevard Montmartre at Night from the National Gallery Shop, printed to order by King & McGaw on fine art paper or canvas. Prices run from £25 for a small paper print to £195 for a large framed canvas, and National Gallery members get 10% off.
For reading, Prestel's The Honest Eye: Camille Pissarro's Impressionism has an RRP of £40.
Camille Pissarro FAQs
Did Camille Pissarro live in London?
Yes, from December 1870 to 1871, in Upper Norwood, after fleeing the Franco-Prussian War. He painted Norwood and Sydenham, and he met his dealer Paul Durand-Ruel there.
Where can I see Pissarro in the UK?
The National Gallery shows The Avenue, Sydenham and Fox Hill, Upper Norwood in Room 41, free. The Ashmolean in Oxford holds a very large Pissarro collection.
Is the Boulevard Montmartre in Montmartre?
No. It is the most easterly of the grand boulevards in central Paris.
How much is a Camille Pissarro worth?
His self-portrait print sold for €62,230 at Christie's in April 2026, and a gouache for €358,400 in October. A National Gallery print starts at £25. This isn't investment advice.
More from CoolCuration
- This Is Still Not a Pipe review: Magritte and the artists who followed him, at Gagosian.
- National Art Pass: what it costs and what it gets you into.
- Gifts for travel lovers: for anyone dreaming of Paris.
- Immich: the self-hosted photo library app.
Think we’re missing something, got something wrong, or want to be featured? Contact us.
Main image: Camille Pissarro, about 1890, Durand-Ruel studio, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Exhibition dates, prices, auction results and edition details last checked: 2 November 2026.
No Comments.