Passerelle d'Argenteuil

At the Musée d'Orsay, this 1872 canvas shows the Passerelle d'Argenteuil — the footbridge at Argenteuil that was one of the first subjects Sisley treated in the early years of Impressionism. Argenteuil, where Monet was based in the early 1870s, provided a gathering place for the Impressionist circle including Sisley, Renoir, and Manet. The passerelle or footbridge was a subject shared by several artists, each bringing their different approach. Sisley's version shows his characteristic attention to the bridge as an architectural element in a luminous riverside setting, with the Seine reflecting the pale sky above.

The footbridge creates a strong geometric horizontal element dividing water from sky, with its reflection doubling the structural element below. Sisley renders the river with characteristic horizontal strokes carrying sky reflections. His early 1870s technique is fully formed and assured, with luminous sky dominating and the Seine reflecting its light below.