Sisley in England and Wales

by Christopher Riopelle

Description

Although born and raised in France, Impressionist painter Alfred Sisley (1839#150;1899) was in fact from an English family and retained links with his ancestral homeland all his life. In 1874#150;#150;after his participation in the first Impressionist Exhibition in Paris#150;#150;Sisley enjoyed a summer break in London, where he painted lively studies of life and leisure along the Thames River, while fellow colleagues including Monet and Pissarro conducted similar studies in Paris and along show more the Seine. When Sisley traveled to Wales in 1897, principally to marry his long-term partner, he was enthralled by the dramatic scenery he encountered along the South Wales coastline. The pictures he produced from this trip were among his most free and boldly painted works. Bringing together the beautiful paintings that Sisley created in England and Wales for the first time, this generously illustrated book provides an introduction to the artist and examines the impact his connection with these two countries had on his career as a French Impressionist. show less

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Arbieroo 780 reviews

This a catalogue for an exhibition I didn't see - it showed in London and Cardiff but not Bath - but I wish I had! Sisley was born and brought up in France by British parents. He was fluent in French and English and maintained dual nationality throughout his life. He was one of the core group of first-wave Impressionists, frequently painting literally alongside Monet and Renoir. However, he visited Britain a number of times and spent time painting in and near London and on the South Wales coast.

The exhibition assembled as many of these scenes as it could and impressive it must have been; even the modestly sized reproductions in this book show that Sisley could hold his own with the other Big Name Impressionists. He even painted a show more certain seascape repeatly in different weathers and times of day a la Monet serial paintings. These pictures of the Bristol Channel coast are my particular favourites.

From this distance, what with Impressionism being allegedly the world's most popular Fine Art movement, it's hard to understand how the artists' contemporaries circa 130-150 years ago, frequently didn't understand Impressionism, forcing the artists to hold their own exhibitions, and leaving Sisley in poverty much of his life, struggling to find buyers for his work. Much of it was destroyed during the Franco-Prussian War - surely a great loss to the art world. But Sisley is now recognised for his talent and still inspires artists today - he's a particular favourite of Bath's own Pete "the Street" Brown. show less

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