In 2010, I read two speeches that Yale president Richard C. Levin gave to incoming freshmen. The speeches inspired me so much that I read them over and over again. One, which he gave in 2005, was about two French painters, Camille Pissarro and Paul Cézanne.
Pissarro was born in 1830 in a Caribbean island while Cézanne was born in 1839 in the south of France. They met in 1861 in Paris, a leading centre of art and intellectual life then.
Unlike many artists, they had no connection to the upper strata of French society. And they became acquainted at a time of great change in the world of art.
Many painters of the day produced formal and highly finished paintings. And the established art institutions influenced the selection of paintings that were exhibited.
Pissarro and Cézanne became painters of a different kind. They preferred expressing their individuality in what they painted. And they drew inspiration from each other's work.
Although they would sometimes copy what the other did, they developed different styles. I would have loved to tell you how each was different but I've never looked at their paintings long enough to spot the differences.
What I found inspiring about the two painters was how they were deeply passionate about art. It is their passion that drove them to work hard at producing fine paintings.
That they became friends but maintained their individuality also inspired me. It has taught me that I can be friends with anyone but still remain the unique person that God made me.
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RECOMMENDATION: If you've enjoyed this story, you might also enjoy "An Inspiring Correspondence".
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An Inspiring Friendship
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