Fritz Melby and Pissarro in their atelier in Carracas

This 1854 pencil drawing from the Central Bank of Venezuela records Pissarro and Fritz Melbye in their shared studio in Caracas — where Pissarro lived from 1852 to 1854 before returning to St. Thomas and eventually emigrating to Paris. The drawing is a remarkable early document: a young artist depicting himself and his mentor in the shared creative space that was formative for both of them. Pissarro's Venezuelan years, though brief, were significant: he drew extensively from life, developed his plein-air practice, and forged a friendship with Melbye that lasted until the Dane's early death in 1869. This modest drawing connects the Caribbean formation of a great Impressionist to his European flowering.

As a pencil drawing rather than painting, the work shows Pissarro's draughtsmanship at an early stage — confident contour lines, hatching for shadow and texture, and a clear sense of the two figures in their studio space. The drawing is modest in ambition but precise in observation, indicating the careful draughtsmanship that underlies his later painterly freedom.