Denver Art Museum to Host First Major U.S. Camille Pissarro Retrospective in Over 40 Years

DENVER, CO — The Denver Art Museum (DAM) has announced it will present The Honest Eye: Camille Pissarro’s Impressionism marks the first significant retrospective of the renowned French Impressionist in the U.S. in over forty years. Set to open on October 26, 2025, this landmark exhibition will showcase more than 80 pieces that illustrate Pissarro’s artistic evolution from his early years in the Caribbean to his later life in Paris.

Co-organized by the DAM and the Museum Barberini in Potsdam, Germany, the exhibition will be on display until February 8, 2026. It will feature paintings borrowed from nearly 50 museums and private collections worldwide—many of which have never been exhibited in the United States—alongside six pieces from the DAM’s own collection.

Camille Pissarro (1830–1903), often called “the first Impressionist,” was instrumental in the development of the Impressionist movement. He was born on the island of St. Thomas in what was then the Danish West Indies (now the U.S. Virgin Islands), lived in Venezuela for a time, and finally moved to Paris in 1855. In Paris, he became a key figure among a group of artists who would transform modern art.

Camille Pissarro, The Garden of Les Mathurins, property of the Deraismes Sisters, Pontoise (Le Jardin des Mathurins, Pontoise, propriété des soeurs Deraismes), 1876. Oil on canvas; 44 5/8 × 65 1/8 in. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri: Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust. Image courtesy akg-images / De Agostini Picture Lib. / J. E. Bulloz

“Pissarro was a true architect of the Impressionist movement,” said Clarisse Fava-Piz, Associate Curator of European and American Art before 1900. “His colleague and friend Cézanne called him ‘the first Impressionist.’ He was the only artist to exhibit in all eight Impressionist exhibitions in Paris, and his work uniquely captures a society on the brink of transformation.”

The Honest Eye will highlight the variety and richness of Pissarro’s creations—landscapes, urban scenes, still lifes, and figure paintings—showing how he documented the daily lives of workers, families, and the evolving landscapes of both rural and urban France. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Pissarro turned away from aristocratic themes, opting instead to focus on everyday individuals and scenes from daily life, infusing the ordinary with a sense of quiet dignity.

Alongside the visual artworks, the exhibition features excerpts from Pissarro’s correspondence, providing a personal insight into his artistic beliefs and social awareness.

Camille Pissarro, Self-Portrait (autoportrait), 1873. Oil on canvas; 21 7/8 × 18 1/8 in. Musée d’Orsay: Donation Paul-Émile Pissarro, 1930. Image courtesy akg-images/Laurent Lecat

“Through this exhibition, we hope visitors will explore Pissarro’s ability to elevate everyday life through art, while understanding the essential role he played in shaping one of the most important movements in modern art,” said Christoph Heinrich, Frederick and Jan Mayer Director of the DAM. “We’re thrilled to partner with the Museum Barberini once again following our successful 2019 collaboration on Claude Monet: The Truth of Nature.”

Over the course of four decades, The Honest Eye explores Pissarro’s journey from his initial Caribbean inspirations to his residence in Éragny, France, and his subsequent portrayals of vibrant European cities and harbors.

Camille Pissarro, Hoar-Frost at Ennery (Gelée blanche à Ennery), 1873. Oil on canvas. 25 3/4 × 36 3/4 in. Musée d'Orsay: Legs Enriqueta Alsop au nom du Dr. Eduardo Mollard, 1972. Image courtesy akg-images / De Agostini Picture Lib. / G. Dagli Orti

Preparing for Your Visit

Details regarding tickets, operating hours, and accessibility are available at denverartmuseum.org in the "Plan Your Visit" section. Members and all youth aged 18 and under enjoy free general admission, courtesy of the museum’s Free for Kids initiative, which also provides complimentary visits for schools and youth organizations.