A Wool-Carder
- Artist: Camille Pissarro
- Date: 1880
- Medium: Oil on cement
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
This is "A Wool-Carder" by Camille Pissarro. Painted in 1880, it's a beautiful example of Impressionism. You might recognize the style as one that was showcased at an exhibition in 1880, where this painting was actually known as 'The Goose Girl (Mayenne)'. Mayenne is a town in north-west France, an area Pissarro often visited and drew inspiration from.
Notice how the painting is on cement, which was quite unusual for artwork of its time. Unfortunately, it's also incredibly fragile, having been broken and restored twice before being safeguarded here at the gallery.
Pissarro's connection to Mayenne and its people is evident in his work, even after he moved away from the area. His experiences and observations are what make this painting so endearing.
See it in person
A Wool-Carder hangs in The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
