Stern Pissarro Gallery is delighted to present Traces of Giverny an
exhibition showcasing a new series of paintings by Lélia Pissarro.
Opening on the 12th October, the show brings together a fresh body of work which explores Lélia’s connection to the natural world and the profound influence of her family heritage.    

Since transforming her own garden into a luscious sanctuary, it has become a subject she paints with an almost obsessive zeal, highlighting the central role that the outdoors plays in her artistic journey. This deep affinity can be traced back to her upbringing, where two of Lélia's greatest passions—art and nature—were sown. Raised by her grandfather, the artist Paulémile and son of Camille Pissarro, Lélia's formative years were a blend of artistic immersion and outdoor exploration. She had the privilege of being surrounded by art, but also enjoyed ample time outdoors in her grandfather's cultivated estate in France.    

Remarkably, Paulémile's appreciation for the natural world was not only inherent but also nurtured through a special mentorship. After the untimely passing of his father in 1903, Paulémile, still a teenager at the time, turned to his godfather, Claude Monet, for guidance. Monet not only served as Paulémile's legal guardian but also emerged as a    profound source of artistic inspiration, with his iconic gardens at Giverny proving inexhaustible source of creativity. Paulémile’s love for nature and horticulture was deeply ingrained in him from an early age, a love he, in turn, passed onto his granddaughter.    

Lélia embarked on her own pilgrimage to Giverny in 2021, a journey that left a lasting mark on her artistic practice. Upon her return, she translated the ethereal essence of the gardens' ponds into large-scale post-Impressionist paintings, channelling remnants of Giverny into her work. Using these experiences, Lélia has delved deep into the relationship between art and nature, recognising her practice as a living synthesis of these external spaces. Her works, particularly her latest abstract pieces, transcend conventional representation, serving as more than mere depictions of nature—they emerge as a vivid extension of the natural world itself. This sentiment is enriched through the inherent natural origins of her pigments, further entwining her creations with the essence of the environment.   

Today, we can witness how the key values of the Impressionists live on in Lélia, through her own garden and her work. In essence, Traces of Giverny encapsulates not only Lélia Pissarro's remarkable artistic evolution but also pays homage to the enduring legacy of her family's artistic lineage and their shared love for the natural world.