Dead Child

The poignant work Dead Child was created by Camille Pissarro French, 1830-1903, in 1874. This somber and emotionally charged image is rendered using the specialized technique of lithography in black, printed on delicate grayish-ivory wove China paper. Although Pissarro is foundational to the Impressionist movement and celebrated for his vibrant oil paintings of the French landscape, he maintained a profound commitment to graphic arts throughout his life, using printmaking to explore intimate, often socially conscious subjects that fell outside the scope of his typical Impressionist canvases.

Created during a critical period in the development of Modern art in France, this lithograph diverges significantly from the contemporary trend toward light and plein-air observation. Instead, Pissarro addresses a difficult, universal theme: mortality. The composition reflects the stark realities of 19th-century existence, where high infant and child mortality rates were commonplace. Pissarro utilizes the lithographic stone expertly, achieving deep, velvety blacks and nuanced tonal variations that heighten the emotional intensity and gravity of the scene. The resulting print is both technically masterful and profoundly moving.

This piece underscores Pissarro’s versatility and his dedication to making art accessible through the reproducible medium of prints. Historically significant artworks classified as prints often circulate widely, sometimes entering the public domain and thereby ensuring broader access to the masterworks of figures like Pissarro. This significant example of the artist's graphic work is held in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.