The Dam, Loing Canal at Saint Mammes 1884

Alfred Sisley captured this view of the Loing Canal at Saint-Mammes in oil on canvas. The image presents a seemingly objective record of a particular place and time in France. But we know that Sisley and his Impressionist contemporaries were very interested in the challenge that photography posed to traditional artistic institutions and the prevailing academic style. This movement sought to represent the fleeting qualities of light and atmosphere as a way to describe their sensory experience of the world. Impressionism, as an avant-garde movement, represented a challenge to the established art world. The paintings celebrated the realities of modern life, often depicting scenes of leisure and everyday existence. To understand Sisley's work fully, historians look at things such as exhibition reviews, letters, and other historical documents. It is through such research that we can understand the complex relationship between artistic innovation and cultural change.