In February 1866, three young artists tramped along the frosty paths of Fontainebleau, declaring that nature would ever be their muse. One, handsome, rich and carefree, would follow that muse until he lost everything except the respect of his friends. He died in poverty, in a home stacked with unsold paintings, while the others found success. Their names were Auguste Renoir and Claude Monet. His was Alfred Sisley, an Englishman and founding father of the Impressionist movement.
This great painter of light, described by Pissarro as an artist "of rare scope and beauty," is one of the least known Impressionists, still overshadowed by the towering reputations of his friends. So the new one-man exhibition at Isetan is an excellent chance to see Sisley's work in all its purity.
Alfred Sisley was born to English parents in France, and destined to join his father's flourishing business. However, the landscapes of Turner, Constable and Ruisdael in the National Gallery in London caught Alfred's heart and fixed his destiny. At the age of 20, he entered an artist's studio and made firm friends with students such as Renoir, Pissarro and Bazille.