The Bridge at Argenteuil Essay Example for Free

The Bridge at Argenteuil Essay The Bridge at Argenteuil by Alfred Sisley is a landscape painted during the French Impressionism period. This painting is located at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art in the European to 1900 collection. The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art is the oldest fine arts museum in Tennessee and displays art from antiquity to contemporary. I chose this museum because it has art from different time periods. This museum, upon first impression, was well organized, and the different collections were relatively easy to find. I chose The Bridge at Argenteuil because Alfred Sisleys work is rarely studied. Alfred Sisleys The Bridge at Argenteuil is a landscape painting. It is oil on canvas and 15 ? by 24 inches. Painted in 1872, The Bridge at Argenteuil depicts a quiet, country scene. Toward the right of the painting, there are warm-colored houses on top of a small hill, while toward the left of the painting is a river, in which is a small sail boat. The grass in the foreground is reminiscent of wheat fields. There is a path that runs from the foreground of the painting out to the river, ending at a small dock, perhaps for fishing. There is a bridge in the background, seemingly tying the entire painting together. Because there is no action in the painting, this work seems to be a study in quiet and calm country life. Every object in this landscape seems to be connected. For example, the path in the foreground leads to the dock that connects with the river. The bridge in the background stretches from the land where the artist painted from, over the river, and to the shore on the other side of the river toward the left of the frame, connecting the two pieces of land. This painting clarifies that the countryside is peaceful and calm. Many artists choose to paint people, animals, and urban scapes. However, a few, like Alfred Sisley, choose to paint landscapes. Sisley recognized that country landscapes show the softer side of life. Sisley chose to look at the bigger picture instead of focusing on one thing in particular. By having the freedom that comes with not focusing on a particular subject, Sisley captured the essence of the natural world, a world that is peaceful, calm, and ever-changing. I believe this is what he wanted to show the world. The Bridge at Argenteuil is a study in the wonders of nature and how man and nature can exist in harmony. This work does meet the standards of perfection, inexhaustibility, and insight. Every object in the painting works with the others to create a scene that is calm and peaceful. Sisley painted in great detail, showing the perfection that exists in nature. For example, Sisley included different shades of blue in the river; the further I looked into the background at the water, the whiter it seemed to become. The white clouds seem to be moving from right to left, slowly covering a light blue sky. Sisley added these details to capture the ever-changing essence of nature. The work is insightful. This painting made me take a slower, second look at nature and how everything does balance out. For example, in this painting, every aspect of nature the sky, the water, and the land seem to have an equal part of the frame, they seem to be balanced. I could envision a triangle while looking at these aspects, with the sky being the top point, and the land and water being the bottom points. The Bridge at Argenteuil resists monotony because nature is always changing. For instance, the water seems clear, like it would be during the summer, but the grass is becoming brown, indicating that the season is moving toward winter. The sky is becoming overcast; this could be indicative of a colder breeze moving in. Because of these elements, it seems as though the season is in transition. This painting has and has not withstood the test of time. For instance, it has withstood the test of time because it was painted in 1872 and is still on display along with other famous and important works of art. It depicts a nature scene that is always changing and evolving, a scene that never becomes outdated. However, Alfred Sisley, as well as this painting, has not been studied extensively and is rarely analyzed, unlike other works of art of the late nineteenth century, such as Monet and Renoir. This gives the impression that this painting has not withstood the test of time. The bridge at Argenteuil has not only been painted by Alfred Sisley. Claude Monet, another impressionist painter, painted this bridge as well. However, there one major difference between the two paintings, although they share the same title. Sisleys The Bridge at Argenteuil depicts the bridge from afar, focusing more on the land and the water in the foreground. Monets The Bridge at Argenteuil focuses more on the water and a couple of sail boats, with the bridge off to the right side of the frame. Another important detail is that Monets painting of the bridge was created two years after Sisley painted the bridge. Therefore, Sisleys The Bridge at Argenteuil can be determined to be unique and original. Also because of the aforementioned reasons, it can be said that this painting could have influenced Monets painting of the bridge. Sisley also depicted a sail boat in his painting, like Monet did, although Sisleys sail boat was small and relatively insignificant, while Monets sail boats were the focus of the painting. This painting possesses not only international appeal because Sisley was a French painter, but universal appeal because people from around the world can relate to nature. This painting depicts elements in nature that can be found in any rural area. For example, it is a scene that focuses on a grassy knoll and a body of water. While looking at this painting, it seems as though it can be found in the United States, when actually, this scene was painted in France. This scene has universal appeal because people of all ages and cultures can relate to it. I chose Alfred Sisleys The Bridge at Argenteuil because it is an under-appreciated painting. It seemed calm and comforting, two feelings that most do not take the time to enjoy. The grass in the foreground and how it seemed to be swaying in the breeze sticks in my mind the most. The analysis of this work of art taught me how to appreciate the seemingly insignificant aspects of life. For most, including myself, life rushes by. Getting to work or school and finishing daily tasks keeps one so busy that no one ever has the time anymore to slow down and appreciate nature. Most take these aspects of life for granted. Analyzing this painting forced me to slow down and appreciate the beauty of nature.