Alfred SISLEY
English 1839-1899
The Loing and the slope of Saint Nicaise — February afternoon
1890
oil on canvas
73.8 x 93.1 cm
Felton Bequest 1913
253-4

As in Haystacks, Sisley's interest is in capturing the exact effect of weather and light. This sparkling view, painted on a cold February day, captures the sense of winter sunshine with its high key but icy colours. The passage of azure above the horizon and cold reflections in the canal suggest as much as the bare trees a cold February afternoon.