Alfred Sisley

French, 1839 - 1899

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Painted in mostly in jewel tones of topaz and aquamarine blue, and sage, spring, and pine green, a meadow is enclosed by a wooden fence, against a landscape of gently rolling hills under a vibrant sky in this horizontal painting. The scene is loosely painted with visible brushstrokes. Touches of white, cotton candy-pink, ruby-red, and azure-blue paint in the long grasses close to us could be wildflowers. A few swipes of straw yellow and pale and lapis blue could represent two people, standing and kneeling, in the field close to the fence. The rickety fence starts at the right edge of the canvas and extends into the distance, angling away from us to our left. Rolling hills beyond are a patchwork of emerald green and caramel brown, and are dotted with trees with full, dark green canopies. One brown building sits on the crest of a hill to our right of center. The horizon comes about halfway up this picture, and the turquoise-colored sky is dotted with white puffs of clouds. The artist signed and dated the painting in the lower right corner, “Sisley 75.”
Alfred Sisley, Meadow, 1875, oil on canvas, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Collection, 1970.17.83

Meadow

Alfred Sisley · 1875 · oil on canvas ·  Accession ID  1970.17.83
Clouds hunker over a water-logged street that separates us from the end of a row of buildings in this horizontal painting. The scene is loosely painted, especially in the sky and water. The lowest level of the building across from us is apricot orange. The second story is pale peach, and dormered windows cut into the gray and then brown rooflines above. The words “AS’ NICOLAS” are painted in gray near the top of the second level, and more letters on the level below are illegible. The roofline drops down a level where it meets the structure next to it, along the left edge of the canvas. Two women in long skirts stand at a darkened, open doorway near the front corner of the structure. A sign on the side of the building hangs from a horizontal arm over three men in and near a shallow boat, which is being propelled by a man who stands in the stern with a long stick. The street is so wet that it first appears to be a canal or river. It is only when we notice dashes of mauve, pale pink, and gray to our left that we realize the cobblestone road is flooded. A band of buildings with tan walls and black or red roofs spans the right two-thirds of the horizon, which comes about a quarter of the way up this composition. A grove of cinnamon-brown trees and some open structures could be a submerged park in the near distance. Two poles and some spindly trees to our right are reflected in the water. Dark forms around these areas could be more people. Pale blue and very pale pink whip together in the sky, suggesting churning clouds veiling the blue sky. The artist signed and dated the work in the lower left corner, “Sisley 72.”
Alfred Sisley, Flood at Port-Marly, 1872, oil on canvas, Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon, 1985.64.38

Flood at Port-Marly

Alfred Sisley · 1872 · oil on canvas ·  Accession ID  1985.64.38
People and a horse-drawn wagon move along a street lined with buildings on the left and trees on the right in this loosely painted horizontal landscape. The wide street angles from the bottom left of the composition to the middle right. The surface of the road is painted with strokes of apricot orange, light gray, rust red, and olive green, and it leads back to a slate-blue, blurred area suggesting trees in the distance. The two, three, or four-story buildings are close together or may be joined. They are painted in muted tones of parchment white, pale peach, and blue gray. Closest to us and to the left, a long brown roof and two bare trees sit beyond an ivy-covered stone wall. The people are indistinct and small in relation to the scene and are dressed in black, brown, olive-green, and slate-blue clothing. One of two carriages is across the road from us and the second one is farther back. On our side of the road, a man wearing a long black jacket and gray pants strolls away from us past a neat row of trees lining the peach-colored sidewalk. The overcast gray and pale pink sky is above. The artist signed and dated the lower left corner, “Sisley. 72.”
Alfred Sisley, Boulevard Héloïse, Argenteuil, 1872, oil on canvas, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Collection, 1970.17.82

Boulevard Héloïse, Argenteuil

Alfred Sisley · 1872 · oil on canvas ·  Accession ID  1970.17.82
Closest to us in this print, on the left, a person dressed in a light-colored tunic stands on the grassy bank accompanied by a group of geese, some walking on land and some wading into the water. Behind them, the water of the river is a mix of blues and greens. Two individuals are rowing a small boat on the water. On the opposite side of the river are a cluster of red-roofed houses along the riverbank. Above the horizon, the sky occupies the top third of the composition, colored in soft blues and punctuated by greyish-pink clouds.
Alfred Sisley, Ambroise Vollard, Auguste Clot, Banks of the River (Les Bords de rivière), 1897, color lithograph on wove paper, Rosenwald Collection, 1950.16.234

Banks of the River (Les Bords de rivière)

Alfred Sisley, Ambroise Vollard, Auguste Clot · 1897 · color lithograph on wove paper ·  Accession ID  1950.16.234
The image shows a riverside scene with a view from the riverbank looking across the water. The horizon is slightly above the center, where the water meets a line of tall trees. The trees create a dark backdrop against the pale sky. The brushstrokes are loose, conveying movement in the water and sky. The color palette is monochromatic with sepia tones. Two figures walk by the river's edge with small boats nearby. In the distance, there is water and tall trees dominating the view. The style is impressionistic with minimal detail.
Alfred Sisley, Banks of the Loing near Saint-Mammès (Bords du Loing, pres Saint-Mammès), 1896, lithograph printed in brown on wove paper, Rosenwald Collection, 1950.17.270

Banks of the Loing near Saint-Mammès (Bords du Loing, pres Saint-Mammès)

Alfred Sisley · 1896 · lithograph printed in brown on wove paper ·  Accession ID  1950.17.270
The image shows a waterfront scene with buildings along the left shoreline. There are small boats with figures rowing in the water, one towards the right side. The etching has thin lines outlining buildings, trees, and boats, creating a sketch-like quality. The color palette is monochromatic with a sepia tone. The background extends into the distance on the right side.
Alfred Sisley, On the Banks of the Loing: Six Boats at their Moorings, 1890, etching on laid paper, Pepita Milmore Memorial Fund, 2022.25.2

On the Banks of the Loing: Six Boats at their Moorings

Alfred Sisley · 1890 · etching on laid paper ·  Accession ID  2022.25.2
The image shows a riverside or coastal scene from a slightly elevated viewpoint. The horizon is placed around the upper third of the image, where the water meets the distant land. In the distance, there are trees and buildings along the shoreline. Some structures are visible reaching upwards. The image uses delicate brushwork or etching to create soft details. The color palette is monochromatic, predominantly beige and sepia. Close to the viewer, there are fence-like structures and trees along a path, with a small boat on the water's edge. Figures and structures in the distance blend seamlessly with the environment.
Alfred Sisley, On the Banks of the Loing: The Canal Bank, 1890, etching with burnishing on laid paper, Pepita Milmore Memorial Fund, 2022.25.4

On the Banks of the Loing: The Canal Bank

Alfred Sisley · 1890 · etching with burnishing on laid paper ·  Accession ID  2022.25.4
The image shows a landscape view with an elevated point of view overlooking land and water. The horizon is high in the frame, with hills in the distance. On the left, there is a cart next to a road lined with trees and a fence leading to a small house. The road continues, flanked by trees, leading to a riverbank with two figures nearby. The brushstrokes are delicate and precise, resembling etching. The color palette is monochromatic with sepia brown tones against a light beige background.
Alfred Sisley, On the Banks of the Loing: The Cart, 1890, etching with bitten tone and burnishing on laid paper, Pepita Milmore Memorial Fund, 2022.25.1

On the Banks of the Loing: The Cart

Alfred Sisley · 1890 · etching with bitten tone and burnishing on laid paper ·  Accession ID  2022.25.1
The image shows a shoreline with a body of water, buildings, and trees in the distance. The horizon is in the upper third of the composition. A few trees and buildings are visible on the horizon. The technique uses light etching lines to create a sketch-like quality. The color palette is various shades of brown and beige. The water reflects the buildings and trees, with subtle ripples indicated by fine lines.
Alfred Sisley, On the Banks of the Loing: Houses by the Water, 1890, etching with burnishing on laid paper, Pepita Milmore Memorial Fund, 2022.25.3

On the Banks of the Loing: Houses by the Water

Alfred Sisley · 1890 · etching with burnishing on laid paper ·  Accession ID  2022.25.3
This painting depicts a scene where a winding path on the bottom left leads into a wooded area. Tall green trees occupy the left side of the painting, while on the right a small gap shows a hilly, dark blue horizon line with more green foliage and the red roof of a building. The sky above is light blue with dots of white and lilac purple. Across the bottom of the painting, a wooden fence lines a light brown path that leads through the woods. Near the bottom left corner, small strokes of paint suggest two people walking along the path away from us, one adult and one child. The color palette is predominantly green with hints of light brown, along with soft blues and purples in the sky. The brushstrokes are loose and impressionistic, with paint applied in short, overlapping lines and dots.
Alfred Sisley, The Road in the Woods, 1879, oil on canvas, Chester Dale Collection, 1963.10.215

The Road in the Woods

Alfred Sisley · 1879 · oil on canvas ·  Accession ID  1963.10.215

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