Snow at Louveciennes

Many of Sisley’s works appear to be typical examples of Impressionism, and this snow-covered landscape, which dates from his most successful period, is no exception. In his treatment of the mother-of-pearl tones of the snow, the artist truly mastered the evocation of the imponderable and the transitory. The painting is one of the most poetic renderings of the fragile and ephemeral world of snow.

Sisley was a British-French landscape painter. Born in Paris to English parents, he began painting as an amateur. His early style was much influenced by Camille Corot. He became associated with Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir and with them became one of the founders of Impressionism. His works, mostly landscapes, are distinguished from those of his colleagues by their softly harmonious values. His family was ruined by the Franco-Prussian War, and his life was a constant struggle against poverty. Not until after his death did his talent begin to be widely recognized.