Alfred Sisley, who was probably the most steadfastly faithful artist to the founding principles of Impressionism throughout his career, returned again and again to the same motifs, constantly seeking to capture the mood. Whilst living at Marly-le-Roi near Paris, he dedicated himself to creating repeated portrayals of the banks of the Seine at Port-Marly and its surroundings. This painting depicts the area surrounding a bend in the river. However, the river is set to one side and the village appears only in the background. The true subject of the painting is the tree-lined road which runs along the Seine, animated by the figures of passers-by. The modern world is evoked here, even though this countryside scene is free from any other allusion to the Industrial Revolution.

Sisley exists within the dichotomy between tradition and modernity. Indeed, the theme of a tree-lined road is an allusion to some great artists of the past, in particular Corot but also 17th-century Dutch painting such as Meindert Hobbema’s The Avenue at Middelharnis (London, National Gallery). However, the original way the piece is framed, with its off-centre composition that places the trees in the middle, cut off at the top, creates a perspective that could have been inspired by Japanese etchings, very popular among artists at the time. The brushwork is allusive, with closely-packed touches that recreate the image from a distance, readily exploring the entire spectrum of the palette with a bold use of pure colours.