Lucien Pissarro’s admiration for the Parisian divisionists, notably George Seurat and Paul Signac, takes on a markably British character in his depiction of Youlgrave, a little-known town nestled in the Peak District. With a muted palette Pissarro captures the charm of the vernacular cottages surrounded by a labyrinth of stone walls and stepped paths. Indeed, it was the hillside position of Youlgrave that was at first, it’s appeal but soon proved to be a great nuisance for Pissarro, who made clear his distaste for arduous physical activity. Writing of his preference for “little corners” Pissarro bemoaned the reality that in Youlgrave “all the nice places are down below tiring climbs at the end of each séance”. Having visited Youlgrave only once Pissarro completed 14 oil painting and multiple watercolours of the valley town, to which he was introduced by fellow Slade student Margaret Pilkington.

An early reviewer of Pissarro’s work noted that of his English Impressionist landscapes their markable quality is “the fact that they make one want to take a walk in them - and that is everything”. In this charming depiction of Youlgrave such a sentiment comes to life.