Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)

Orovida Camille Pissarro, Lucien and Esther Pissarro’s only child, was the first woman in the Pissarro family as well as the first of her generation to become an artist. Born in Epping, England in 1893, she lived and worked predominantly in London where she became a prominent member of several British arts clubs and societies.
She first learned to paint in the Impressionist style of her father, but after a brief period of formal study with Walter Sickert in 1913 she renounced formal art schooling. Throughout her career, Orovida always remained outside of any mainstream British art movements. Much to Lucien's disappointment she soon turned away from naturalistic painting and developed her own unusual style combining elements of Japanese, Chinese, Persian and Indian art. Her rejection of Impressionism, which for the Pissarro family had become a way of life, together with the simultaneous decision to drop her famous last name and simply use Orovida as a ‘nom de peintre’, reflected a deep desire for independence and distance from the weight of the family legacy.
Orovida's most distinctive and notable works were produced from the period of 1919 to 1939 using her own homemade egg tempera applied in thin, delicate washes to silk, linen or paper and sometimes embellished with brocade borders. These elegant and richly decorative works generally depict Eastern, Asian and African subjects, such as Mongolian horse-riders, tribal dancers and Persian princes, often engaged in dancing or hunting rituals.
The second half of Orovida's painting career, however, is marked by a sudden and dramatic change in style and subject matter. Due to the outbreak of the Second World War, there was a shortage in eggs which led Orovida to take up oil painting. This change in medium led her to embrace contemporary subjects from everyday life, thus returning to a more naturalistic style. Orovida was also a gifted printmaker and worked with etching, engraving and lithography. Also an accomplished draughtsman, Orovida would observe animals at the London Zoo which she then juxtaposed with images of the local people of the countries they originally inhabited. Throughout her career she created many etchings of which both the British and the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford have a large collection.
The journey of Orovida’s career serves as a symbolic illustration of her relationship with her heritage. Her attempt to break away from tradition to find her own voice, only to return to her roots is apparent throughout her body of work which is emboldened by this journey. Towards the end of her life she was instrumental in developing the Pissarro family archive, established by her parents at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. Besides the Ashmolean museum her works can be found in many public collections throughout the UK. Orovida sadly never married or had children.
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She first learned to paint in the Impressionist style of her father, but after a brief period of formal study with Walter Sickert in 1913 she renounced formal art schooling. Throughout her career, Orovida always remained outside of any mainstream British art movements. Much to Lucien's disappointment she soon turned away from naturalistic painting and developed her own unusual style combining elements of Japanese, Chinese, Persian and Indian art. Her rejection of Impressionism, which for the Pissarro family had become a way of life, together with the simultaneous decision to drop her famous last name and simply use Orovida as a ‘nom de peintre’, reflected a deep desire for independence and distance from the weight of the family legacy.
Orovida's most distinctive and notable works were produced from the period of 1919 to 1939 using her own homemade egg tempera applied in thin, delicate washes to silk, linen or paper and sometimes embellished with brocade borders. These elegant and richly decorative works generally depict Eastern, Asian and African subjects, such as Mongolian horse-riders, tribal dancers and Persian princes, often engaged in dancing or hunting rituals.
The second half of Orovida's painting career, however, is marked by a sudden and dramatic change in style and subject matter. Due to the outbreak of the Second World War, there was a shortage in eggs which led Orovida to take up oil painting. This change in medium led her to embrace contemporary subjects from everyday life, thus returning to a more naturalistic style. Orovida was also a gifted printmaker and worked with etching, engraving and lithography. Also an accomplished draughtsman, Orovida would observe animals at the London Zoo which she then juxtaposed with images of the local people of the countries they originally inhabited. Throughout her career she created many etchings of which both the British and the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford have a large collection.
The journey of Orovida’s career serves as a symbolic illustration of her relationship with her heritage. Her attempt to break away from tradition to find her own voice, only to return to her roots is apparent throughout her body of work which is emboldened by this journey. Towards the end of her life she was instrumental in developing the Pissarro family archive, established by her parents at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. Besides the Ashmolean museum her works can be found in many public collections throughout the UK. Orovida sadly never married or had children.
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Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
A Game of Cards
Oil on canvas
59 x 72 cm (23 ¹/₄ x 28 ³/₈ inches)
Signed and titled upper right Orovida 1949
Executed in 1949 -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Father, Daughter and Horse
Oil on canvas
60 x 73 cm (23 ⅝ x 28 ¾ inches)
Signed and dated lower centre Orovida 1947 -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Migration
Egg tempera on linen laid on board
76 x 101 cm (29 ⅞ x 39 ¾ inches)
Signed and dated lower right Orovida 1934 -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Siamese Cat with Kittens
Egg tempera on linen
39 x 48 cm (15³/₈ x 18⁷/₈ inches)
Signed lower right Orovida and dated lower left 1934 -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Dinka with a Bongo
Egg tempera on linen, laid on board
85 x 62.3 cm (33 ½ x 24 ½ inches)
Signed and dated lower right Orovida 1937 -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
The Nomads
Etching and aquatint, final state 21/42
27 x 41 cm (10 ⁵/₈ x 16 ¹/₈ inches)
Signed, Orovida, and dated 1925 -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Ice Cream Picnic
Oil on board
101 x 76 cm (39 ¾ x 29 ⅞ inches)
Signed and dated lower left Orovida 1953 -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Spring (Primrose Gathering)
Oil on board
101.5 x 76.4 cm (40 x 30 inches)
Signed and dated lower centre Orovida 1956 -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Exercising Ponies
Oil on board
101.5 x 76 cm (40 x 30 inches)
Signed and dated lower right Orovida 1954 -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Mowgli and Bagheera
Oil on canvas
71 x 91 cm (28 x 35 ⅞ inches)
Signed and dated lower left Orovida 1959 -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Tiger Surprises Black Buck
Oil on canvas
127 x 101.5 cm (50 x 40 inches)
Signed and dated lower left Orovida 1960 -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
The Monkey Killer
Oil on canvas
76 x 101 cm (29 ⅞ x 39 ¾ inches)
Signed and dated lower right Orovida 1963 -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Caterwaul
Oil on canvas51 x 61 cm (20 ¹/₈ x 24 inches) -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Gazelles
Watercolour, hand-coloured over an etching
27.5 x 17.5 cm (10 ⅞ x 6 ⅞ inches)
Signed lower right Orovida -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Migrating Horses
Oil on canvas
71.1 x 81.4 cm (28 x 32 inches)
Signed and dated lower right Orovida 1959 -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
The Fortune Teller
Oil on canvas
60 x 73 cm (23 ⁵/₈ x 28 ³/₄ inches)
Signed and dated upper right Orovida 1950 -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Nylons and Bric-a-Brac
Oil on canvas
73 x 60 cm (28 ³/₄ x 23 ⁵/₈ inches)
Signed and dated upper right Orovida 1951 -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Pilgrims
Watercolour and charcoal on paper
39 x 50.5 cm (15 ⅜ x 19 ⅞ inches)
Signed lower left with initials OGP Executed circa 1908 -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
The Cattery
Oil and pencil on canvas
61 x 51 cm (24 x 20 ⅛ inches)
Signed and dated upper right Orovida 1964 -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Tom Cat
Oil on canvas
51 x 61 cm (20 ¹/₈ x 24 inches)
Signed and dated lower left Orovida 1961 -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Cat and Mouse
Oil on canvas
61 x 51 cm (24 x 20 ⅛ inches)
Signed and dated lower centre Orovida 1948, altered by the artist in 1966 -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
The Calf
Watercolour, hand-coloured over an etching
17.5 x 23.2 cm (6 ⅞ x 9 ⅛ inches)
Signed, titled and dated 1949 -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Landscape with Gate
Pencil on paper
25.7 x 20.4 cm (10 ¹/₈ x 8 inches)
Executed circa 1917 -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Trees in Yellow Landscape, Devon
Watercolour on paper
18 x 25.7 cm (7 ¹/₈ x 10 ¹/₈ inches)
Executed in 1917 -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Ceremonial Dance
Etching
19.2 x 24.8 cm (7 ½ x 9 ¾ inches)
Signed and dated lower right Orovida 1927
Inscribed lower left Final state no. 12/35 and titled lower middle -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Landscape in Devon
Pencil on paper
19.3 x 25.7 cm (7 ⁵/₈ x 10 ¹/₈ inches)
Executed circa 1917 -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
The Hunting Prince
Etching
15 x 20 cm (5 ⅞ x 7 ⅞ inches)
Signed and dated lower right Orovida 1926
Inscribed lower left Trial proof no.14 and titled lower middle -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Tiger and Python
Etching
22.5 x 27 cm (8 ⅞ x 10 ⅝ inches)
Signed, inscribed with title and dated 1917
State 1, no. 9/10 -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
A Study of Human Head and Tiger
Pencil on paper
25.5 x 20 cm (10 x 7⁷/₈ inches)
Executed circa 1917 -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Study of Tiger
Pencil on paper
20 x 26 cm (7 ⅞ x 10 ¼ inches) -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Pouncing Tiger
Pencil on paper
18.1 x 25.7 cm (7 ⅛ x 10 ⅛ inches)
Executed circa 1917
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Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Study of Crouching Tiger
Pencil on paper
25.7 x 22.5 cm (10 ⅛ x 8 ⅞ inches)
Executed circa 1917 -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Lioness in Profile
Pencil on paper
20.3 x 27 cm (8 x 10 ⅝ inches)
Executed circa 1917
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Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Curves
Etching, trial proof no. 54
20.2 x 15 cm (8 x 5 ⅞ inches)
Signed and dated lower right Orovida 1919
Inscribed lower left Trial proof no. 54 and titled lower middle -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Study of Large Wild Cat Head
Pencil on paper
20 x 26 cm (7 ⅞ x 10 ¼ inches)
Executed circa 1917 -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
La Toilette
Etching, 1st slate
18.8 x 15.8 cm (7 ⅜ x 6 ¼ inches)
Signed and dated 1916, numbered 1/3 -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Cheetah
Etching, 28/50
19.2 x 24.5 cm (7 ½ x 9 ⅝ inches)
Signed and dated lower right Orovida 1930
Numbered lower left 28/50 and titled lower middle
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Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Chatter
Etching
26 x 19 cm (10 ¹/₄ x 7 ¹/₂ inches)
Signed and dated lower right Orovida 1927
Inscribed lower left Trial proof no. 18/25 and titled lower middle -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Mare and Foal
Etching
15.6 x 20.7 cm (6 ¹/₈ x 8 ¹/₈ inches) -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Rupert Rides
Etching
31 x 23.5 cm (12 ¼ x 9 ¼ inches)
Signed and dated lower right Orovida 1952
Inscribed final state 13/50 lower left and titled lower middle -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Fear Ridden
Etching
12.8 x 17.5 cm (5 x 6 ⅞ inches)
Signed and dated lower right Orovida 1926
Inscribed lower left Final state no. 12/23 and titled lower middle -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Fear
Etching
26 x 19.5 cm (10 ¼ x 7 ⅝ inches)
Signed and dated lower right, Orovida 1917
State 2, trial proof no.2 -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Pig Sticking
Etching
17.3 x 27.4 cm (6 ¾ x 10 ¾ inches)
Signed and dated lower right Orovida 1931 Numbered lower left 26/50 and titled lower middle -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
The Nomads
Etching
18 x 25 cm (7 ⅛ x 9 ⅞ inches)
Signed and dated lower right Orovida 1925
Inscribed lower left Final state 32/42 and titled lower middle -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Lutte d'Étalons
Etching
17 x 27 cm (6 ¾ x 10 ⅝ inches)
Signed lower right Orovida
Titled and dedicated lower middle à Paulémile Pissarro Inscribed lower left Épreuve d'artiste -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
La Poursuite
Etching with aquatint
17.2 x 12.5 cm (6 ³/₄ x 4 ⁷/₈ inches)
Signed and dated lower right Orovida 1917 Inscribed lower left Final State Trial proof no. 1 -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Peccarys and Tiger Pranks
Etching and aquatint
31.5 x 23 cm (12 ⅜ x 9 inches)
Signed and dated lower right Orovida 1925
Inscribed lower left Final state no. 8/30 and titled lower middle -
Orovida Pissarro (1893 - 1968)
Zebra and Foal
Etching
20 x 17.3 cm (7⁷/₈ x 6³/₄ inches)
Signed and dated lower right Orovida 1938
Titled lower middle and numbered 4/50 lower right
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