In 1879, Danish-French Impressionist and Neo-Impressionist painter Camille Pissarro created a painting that would become known as Edge of the Woods or Undergrowth in Summer. The canvas, measuring 125 x 163 cm, features a man sleeping in the backwoods of Hermitage near Pontoise. Pissarro submitted two versions of the painting to the fourth Impressionist exhibition in Paris that year.
The painting is notable for its contributions to both Impressionism and Post-Impressionism. The way Pissarro dabbed paint onto the surface is similar to techniques used by other Impressionists. At the same time, the intense colors and bold brushstrokes suggest Post-Impressionism.
Edge of the Woods is not an isolated example of snow-themed paintings created by Pissarro. Rabbit Warren at Pontoise, Snow depicts similar scenes covered in snow with rabbits running around a rural landscape enveloped in white tranquility. Notably painted during a period where financial instability plagued the artist’s life, this work along with others reflects his preoccupation with exploring different styles while maintaining his unique aesthetic vision.
