Saint Mammes 1885

Alfred Sisley’s oil on canvas painting presents us with the tranquil view of Saint Mammes. The composition is structured horizontally, divided into thirds by land, water, and sky. The paint is applied in short, broken strokes, creating a textured surface that captures the fleeting effects of light and atmosphere. The muted palette of blues, greens, and yellows evokes a sense of calm and serenity. Sisley destabilizes traditional landscape painting through the application of colour, where there is no clear distinction between the reflections and the sky. This is because of his impressionistic treatment of light and atmosphere that dissolves the solidity of forms, challenging fixed perceptions of space and depth. Ultimately, Sisley's brushstrokes and colour choices offer a meditation on perception and the transient nature of experience. The dissolution of form, which is characteristic of Impressionism, invites us to reconsider our understanding of reality as something fluid and ever-changing.