Alfred Sisley was born on October 30, 1839 to English parents William and Felicia Sisley. The Sisleys were in the silk and flower business, and the couple had made Paris its home. At the age of seventeen, however, Alfred was sent off to London for a more formal British education. His parents also hoped that their son would pursue a career in business, but Sisley found art more intriguing. Soon after Alfred's return to Paris, he began to formally study painting and drawing.
First Impressionist Friends
Sisley’s early influences included landscape painting masters J.M.W. Turner and Camille Corot, Corot also being one of Sisley’s teachers. While learning his craft, Sisley befriended a few fellow young artistic hopefuls by the names of Frederic Bazille, Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Monet in particular helped Sisley to lighten his palette, and by 1866 Sisley's work had been accepted by the prestigious Paris Salon. This group of friends, along with such other French Impressionists as Camille Pissarro, Edgar Degas and Gustave Caillebotte, would later organize independent exhibits and create their own significant chapter in art history.
Love and Not Quite Marriage
A romantic relationship with Marie Louise Adélaïde Eugénie Lescouezec (better known as Eugénie) greatly affected Sisley’s career, in both positive and negative ways. Eugénie and Sisley had a son in 1867, then a daughter in 1869. Though Sisley had a reputation for being a flirt and lover of the ladies, he was very fond of Eugénie and remained with her for the rest of his life. The couple did not legally marry until 1897, however, apparently because of Sisley’s indifference to conventional marriage vows. Still, Sisley referred to Eugénie as his wife and only those closest to him knew of the true arrangement. Sisley’s father was nonetheless outraged by his son’s relationship. This factor, in combination with reversals of fortune due to the Franco-Prussian War, led to an end of Sisley’s financial support from his parents.
Love of Landscapes
Sisley often had money problems and struggled to make a decent living through sales of his work. His lack of major success is sometimes linked to his tendency to paint primarily landscapes of beautiful yet muted tones, which kept him in a sort of artistic limbo. He did not gravitate much toward figurative painting or urban scenes or even still-lifes, but instead was content to work outdoors en plein air on his landscapes and seascapes. Like his good friend Monet, Sisley was fascinated by how one particular view could change with the shifting of light and shadow throughout the course of the day. He quietly imbued his work with his own perspective, noting how “Every picture shows a spot with which the artist has fallen in love.”
Later Years and Legacy
One particular spot which Sisley fell in love with was the French village of Moret-sur-Loing. He, Eugénie and the children would make Moret their home base for a while, though Sisley did travel to other towns seeking inspiration and took a extended trip to Wales in 1897. The trip to Wales was bittersweet, as both Sisley and Eugénie had both been diagnosed with cancer. The couple finally officially married in Wales, however, and Sisley produced some gorgeous paintings of the area, particularly the Gower Peninsula.
Alfred Sisley died in January 1899, not long after the passing of Eugénie. While he had been admitted to France’s Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts and applied for French citizenship, he had not yet received the latter. Therefore, one of the key artists of the French Impressionist movement who spoke French as his native language was still always technically considered an Englishman.
In the years following Sisley’s death, his art has attracted more attention and appreciation. Sisley‘s paintings can be found in museums throughout the world, with The Art Institute of Chicago, The National Gallery of Art and Paris’ Musée de Orsay owning multiple Sisley works.
Sources
- Alfred Sisley, The Invisible Man of Impressionism – The New York Times
- The Private Lives of The Impressionists -- Sue Roe (HarperCollins, 2006)
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