Chestnut Vendor, St. Martin's Market, Pontoise

Chestnut Vendor, St. Martin's Market, Pontoise is a significant print created by Camille Pissarro in 1881. This work showcases the artist's extensive experimentation with intaglio methods during the period he was living in Pontoise, utilizing a sophisticated combination of drypoint and delicate stippling. This specific impression, rendered on yellow/brown laid paper, is classified as the rare first state of two, completed before the copper plate was reinforced through steelfacing for extensive printing.

Pissarro frequently used his graphic works to study the rhythm of contemporary life and local commerce, capturing the essence of everyday existence rather than idealized views. The composition focuses on a street vendor at the heart of the bustling St. Martin’s Market, a location the artist often frequented. Pissarro skillfully defines the surrounding architectural elements and background buildings, establishing a deep sense of urban depth while concentrating the viewer's attention on the various human figures engaged in trade and movement within the square.

As a master etcher, Pissarro employed the drypoint needle to achieve rich, burred lines that imbue the image with depth and expressive quality, capturing the gritty atmosphere of the market. The delicate stippling technique enhances the atmospheric quality, particularly in the rendering of light and shadow on the vendor’s cart and the cobbled streets, lending a subtle richness to the resulting prints. This compelling study of a working-class subject is held within the extensive print collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.