Alfred Sisley

Marcelle Keezer, Amsterdam (acquired by 1928)
Albert Kahn, Detroit
Dr. Edgar A. Kahn, Ann Arbor (by descent from the above)
Mrs. Albert Kahn (by descent from the above and sold: Parke-Bernet Galleries, Inc., New York, May 1, 1946, lot 45)
Richard A. Loeb, New York (acquired at the above sale and sold: Parke-Bernet Galleries, Inc., New York, November 7, 1946, lot 67)
Van Cleef & Arpels, New York (acquired at the above sale and sold: Parke-Bernet Galleries, Inc., New York, March 26-27, 1952, lot 101)
Private Collection (acquired at the above sale)
Wildenstein & Co., New York
Private Collection, New York (and sold: Sotheby's, New York, May 14, 1986, lot 212)
Private Collection (and sold: Christie's, London, March 30, 1987, lot 10)
Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection (acquired at the above sale)
Sale: De Pury & Luxembourg, London, June 24, 2002, lot 5
Private Collection, Switzerland (acquired at the above sale)

Floris-Adriaan van Braam, World Collectors Annuary, vol. IV, London, 1952, no. 2536
François Daulte, Alfred Sisley, Catalogue raisonné de l'oeuvre peint, Lausanne, no. 751, illustrated n.p.

The canvas is lined. There is craquelure scattered throughout, primarily in the lightest pigments in the sky. Under UV light a layer of varnish is visible. Some original pigments fluoresce and there appears to be some scattered inpainting in the sky.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Painted in 1890, this work dates from when Sisley settled his family in the village of Moret-sur-Loing, fifty kilometers south of Paris, on the edge of the Forest of Fontainebleu. Famous for his pure Impressionist sentiment, Sisley found endless, evolving subject matter in this region, which became the setting where the main body of his oeuvre was created. Concentrated on honest portrayals of aesthetic truths, the artist toyed with different brushstrokes, palettes and paint qualities to identify the mood and texture of the landscape.

A testament to the accomplished nature of Sisley’s later works, the staccato brushstrokes in Petit pont sur l'Orvanne immaculately render the warm glow of a late summer afternoon; light shimmers off the water as the river meanders idly around a bend, and two figures enjoy the secluded shade of the lithe avenue of trees. Sisley creates a soft radiance in the summer sky, embodied with a sense of tranquil movement through the careful application of wider brushstrokes, complimenting the gentle flow of the water below. The receding horizon of trees was a favourite motif of Sisley that is impeccably illustrated in this work, drawing the observer into the palpable space rendered in the painting. This work exemplifies how Sisley “faultlessly convey[s] those startling moments of perception in which a scene is removed from its surroundings, however commonplace, and steeped in an undefinable emotion... He has the power of transcribing such scenes as though he has been searching for them all along, and yet he reveals them with an air of such diffidence that disarms while it captivates” (Richard Shone, Sisley, London, 1992, p. 11).