Bougival 1876

Alfred Sisley captured the town of Bougival in oil on canvas during the late 19th century. Sisley, an English artist working in France, painted this work in the period that saw the rise of impressionism, and his art took an interest in fleeting moments of light and atmosphere. Impressionist painting emerged in a period of significant social transformation with an increasingly industrialized French landscape. The smoke billowing in the background may allude to these changes that impacted how people related to their surroundings and how art represents modern life. The public role of art was then changing: impressionists moved away from traditional academic styles and the strictures of the French Salon, staging their own exhibitions, which allowed them to decide what was art, and who got to see it. To understand Sisley’s art fully, historians delve into archives, letters, and exhibition records. These primary sources provide crucial insights into the artistic and social context of his time. We recognize the cultural and institutional forces that shaped his artistic choices and the meaning of his work.