The Seine at Bougival 1872

Editor: So, here we have Alfred Sisley's "The Seine at Bougival," painted in 1872. It looks like an oil painting, capturing a hazy day by the river. I am interested in Sisley's specific use of the *en plein air* technique to achieve a sense of capturing the 'moment' of industrial France; what details in Sisley’s treatment stand out to you? Curator: As a materialist, I see Sisley’s work as embedded within specific economic and social conditions. The Seine, central to trade and transport, is depicted, but look closely at the *plein air* execution – it’s not just about capturing light; it’s about rapidly capturing a specific place transforming through labor and capital. Editor: How so? Curator: The rapid brushstrokes, the almost sketch-like quality, speak to the efficiency demanded by industrializing society. Oil paint itself, premixed and portable, facilitated this kind of rapid outdoor production. Editor: I see what you mean. The *plein air* and the manufacturing process of his paints reflects industrial practices and commodification extending into artistic practice, in this moment, both representing AND embracing that cultural shift. It really does reframe Impressionism for me. Thanks! Curator: Exactly. The canvas and the readymade paints were also mass produced goods. We should think about this painting in terms of how everyday life intersects with art and also larger societal shifts during industrialization.