The By Road at the Roches-Courtaut Woods – Indian Summer

In the 1880s, the Impressionists disbanded, its members having achieved varying degrees of success. Alfred Sisley, penniless and unknown, lived for a time in the village of By, south of Paris and close to the banks of the Seine, which never ceased to delight him. Faithful to his Impressionist beginnings, he painted his canvases entirely from nature. This painting is a typical work of Sisley’s mature style. To achieve the beautiful effect of depth he uses a thick, smudged brushstroke for the foreground to contrast with the smooth, light rendering of the background. His palette is dominated by pure shades of mauve, orange and blue.