Boats at Bougival 1873

Alfred Sisley made this painting, Boats at Bougival, with oil on canvas, capturing a scene along the Seine. Impressionism wasn't just about pretty pictures, it was also about a changing society. Consider that this work was made in France, a nation still dealing with the aftershocks of revolution, and then the more recent Franco-Prussian War. The rise of industrialization is evident in the steamboat, a relatively new technology at the time. The loose brushstrokes and focus on light were radical departures from the academic style promoted by institutions like the École des Beaux-Arts. Sisley and his peers were actively challenging the established art world, choosing everyday scenes over historical or mythological subjects. They were interested in the here and now, not the past. To understand this painting fully, it would be useful to research the development of the French railway system, the growth of suburban leisure activities, and the changing role of the Seine river in Parisian life. Art history is always tied to social and institutional context.