Allée of Chestnut Trees
Alfred Sisley (English, 1839–1899)
Oil on canvas; 19 3/4 x 24 in. (50.1 x 60.9 cm)
Signed and dated in lower right corner: Sisley '78
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975 (1975.1.211)
Alfred Sisley (English, 1839–1899)
Oil on canvas; 19 3/4 x 24 in. (50.1 x 60.9 cm)
Signed and dated in lower right corner: Sisley '78
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975 (1975.1.211)
Like his colleagues Monet and Pissarro, Sisley lived outside of Paris, where accommodations were more affordable. There he painted tranquil landscapes populated by local villagers and fashionable Parisian vacationers. In this painting, bright sunlight tempered by dappled shade in the foreground exemplifies the Impressionists' attention to light effects. The scene's idyllic ambiance is typical of Sisley's work. Hayashi Tadamasha, a Japanese art collector and dealer living in Paris, was the painting's first owner. In 1913, Mrs. Havemeyer acquired the work for her collection of Impressionist art.
