During the 1860s, oil paints advanced, becoming more like a paste. The new oils gave paint a different motility on the canvas that it had not had previously in its liquidlike form. The consistency of the paste made it easier for painters to use tools such as a palette knife when moving the paint around on a canvas. This advancement gave Pissarro the ability to manipulate paint on the canvas in ways his predecessors could not. Pissarro also used watercolors to translate his imaginative version of a cityscape or landscape onto the canvas.
Pissarro used pastels, most likely water-based, to paint inspiring images. Pastels have been used since the 16th century by painters. They look like a chalk, but colors are comparable to the pigment used in high-quality paints. Pastels also differ from paints in the way they age; they hold up well, without cracking and discoloring the work.
Pissarro was very fond of landscapes, as evidenced by collections of his work. His work bears titles such as "In the Garden" and "Harvest at Montfoucault." He also painted an array of cityscapes, village scenes and rural living. What is peaceful and free seemed to be a major source of inspiration for Pissarro.