“Stop and observe the delicate interplay of light and shadow in Pissarro's "Haystacks, Morning, Eragny." This painting captures the serene beauty of a rural morning, inviting you to appreciate the subtle nuances of color and atmosphere.”
In this tranquil morning scene, Pissarro captures the soft light of dawn over the fields of Eragny, a village where he lived for many years. Two large haystacks dominate the foreground, their forms softened by the early light, suggesting the quiet labor of rural life. The artist uses a palette of muted greens, blues, and golds to evoke the cool, fresh air of the morning, with brushstrokes that blend seamlessly to create a sense of atmospheric depth. A figure, likely a man, is visible near the haystacks, emphasizing the human presence in this pastoral setting without disrupting its serenity. The painting exemplifies the Impressionist fascination with capturing fleeting moments and the changing effects of light on a landscape, offering a window into a specific time and place.
- Artist
- Camille Pissarro
- Date
- 1899
- Medium
- Oil on canvas
- Location
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Dimensions
- 25 x 31 1/2 in. (63.5 x 80 cm)
- Collection
- European Paintings
- Credit line
- Bequest of Douglas Dillon, 2003
What to Notice
Five details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.

The subtle variations in color on the haystacks, suggesting texture and volume.
The way the light from the left illuminates the top of the haystacks.
The small figure near the haystacks, almost blending into the landscape.
The gentle transition from the field to the trees in the background.
1 more detail is waiting.
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Camille Pissarro
1830–1903 · FranceCamille Pissarro, the Danish-French painter, was a pivotal figure in both Impressionism and Neo-Impressionism, capturing everyday life from Parisian streets to snow-covered villages.
Further Works by Pissarro
Still Life with Apples and Pitcher
1872 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
A Washerwoman at Eragny
1893 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Poplars, Eragny
1895 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Rue de l'Epicerie, Rouen (Effect of Sunlight)
1898 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Banks of the Marne in Winter
1866 · Art Institute of Chicago
Snow at Louveciennes
1870 · Art Institute of Chicago
The Crystal Palace
1871 · Art Institute of Chicago
Fan Mount: The Cabbage Gatherers
1878 · Metropolitan Museum of Art
More from Impressionism
More works to explore
Beyond Pissarro and Impressionism: works from the same years, and from the other movements Haystacks, Morning, Eragny belongs to.
Same movement · Neo-Impressionism
Carmelina
Henri Matisse · 1903 · Museum of Fine Arts Boston
Same era · 1880s–1910s
A Woman Walking in a Garden
Vincent van Gogh · 1887 · Frans Buffa & sons
Same era · 1880s–1910s
Still Life with Crayfish
Mikhail Larionov · 1900 · Museum Ludwig
Same era · 1880s–1910s
Frauenkopf vor Sonnenblumen
Ernst Ludwig Kirchner · 1906 · Museum Frieder Burda
Same era · 1880s–1910s
A Sunday on La Grande Jatte — 1884
Okada Saburosuke · 1884 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1880s–1910s
Jean Renoir Sewing
Pierre-Auguste Renoir · 1899 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1880s–1910s
Mademoiselle Nys
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec · 1899 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1880s–1910s
Two Tahitian Women
Paul Gauguin · 1899 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1880s–1910s
Water Lily Pond
Claude Monet · 1899 · Pola Museum of Art
Same era · 1880s–1910s
The Kiss
Edvard Munch · 1897 · Munch Museum
Same era · 1880s–1910s
Maternal Caress
Mary Cassatt · 1896 · Philadelphia Museum of Art
Same era · 1880s–1910s
The Loire
Alfred Sisley · 1896 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1880s–1910s
House and Courtyard
John Singer Sargent · 1895 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art




