Sisley in England and Wales Christopher Riopelle, Ann Sumner

Impressionism's British connection revealed. Familiar British scenery uniquely captured in the Impressionist style, by one the founders of the movement. This book is a richly illustrated, affordable gift in an appealing square format, ideal for counter display in-store. It is published to accompany the exhibition Sisley in England and Wales at the National Gallery, London (12 November 2008-15 February 2009) and at Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales, Cardiff (7 March - 14 June 2009).Although born and raised in France, the Impressionist painter Alfred Sisley (1839-1899) was in fact from an English family and retained links with his ancestral homeland all his life. In 1874, after his participation in the now - infamous first Impressionist Exhibition in Paris, Sisley enjoyed a stay in London. He painted lively studies of life and leisure along the River Thames - just as his artistic colleagues Monet and Pissarro were exploring similar themes along the River Seine. When Sisley returned to Britain in 1897, for personal reasons as well as artistic exploration, he was enthralled by the dramatic South Wales coastline. The pictures resulting from this trip were among the most boldly painted works he had ever produced.This book is a concise and generously illustrated account of Sisley's work in England and Wales, appealing to readers with an interest in art, particularly Impressionism, and British landscapes.

Christopher Riopelle is Curator of Post-1800 Painting at the National Gallery, London; he co-authored Manet to Picasso (2006) and Renoir Landscapes: 1865-1883 (2007). Ann Sumner is Director of the Barber Institute of Fine Art; before this, she was Curator (Fine Art) at Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales, Cardiff. She is co-editor of Thomas Jones: An Artist Rediscovered (2003).