Adopt an Artwork

Le Village d’Éragny (The Village of Éragny)

This landscape by famous impressionist artist Camille Pissarro is one of the most important paintings in our collection and certainly a star in our 19th century gallery. However, it could look much better and much more like Pissarro would have wanted it to look! Sometime before we acquired the painting it was varnished – but Pissarro never wanted his paintings to have a varnish. Not only that, but the varnish has also discolored and makes Pissarro’s colors look much more yellow than they should. Also, at some point before it entered our collection, it was relined using an excessive amount of wax to adhere the lining to the original canvas. The wax has seeped through the canvas and into the paint, where it contributes to a surface that today appears much too shiny.

The treatment would try to diminish the effect of the wax and remove the yellowed varnish to regain Pissarro’s original intention as much as possible.

Piece Highlights

  • Artist: Camille Pissarro, France, 1831 - 1903
  • Medium: oil on canvas

Adopted

It’s easy to adopt an artwork! Here is a Step-by-Step:

  1. Once you have chosen which artwork you would like to adopt, reach out to our Curator of European Art, Robert Schindler ([email protected]; 205.297.8064), and let him know. You can also jointly adopt an artwork with friends or family (even a company can adopt an artwork)!
  2. We will then send you information on the work you have selected, including its conservation needs and a treatment proposal. You will also be invited to the tour before the work is conserved.
  3. When the conservation is completed, you will be invited for a viewing “after treatment” and you will be sent an invoice along with the treatment report.
  4. Finally, choose whether you want to be credited on the gallery label or not. At the end, you send your payment for the treatment to Robert and we will forward to you a formal acknowledgment of your tax-deductible contribution.
  5. Done!

If you have questions or would like to adopt an artwork, please call or email Robert [email protected] // 205.297.8064.