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The looting of Jewish property was a key part of the Holocaust. We know that many of Sisley's paintings were stolen as part of the massive organised looting of European countries during the time of the Third Reich by agents who acted on behalf of the ruling Nazi Party of Germany. The most intriguing mystery surrounding Alfred Sisley and his paintings is that many are missing! We must remember that many of the Impressionsts were not accepted at first by "the French establishment": Monet, Renoir, Degas, Morisot, Pissarro and several others including Sisley could not wait for recognition and so formed the Anonymous Society of Painters, Sculptors, and Printmakers and held their own exhibition in 1874 at roughly the same time as the annual Salon exhibition.

Ironically, in the auction they managed to sell twenty-seven of his paintings, raising 112,320 francs. Monet organized an auction of Alfred Sisley’s paintings to raise money for Sisley’s children. Once he knew he was dying from throat cancer he did ask Monet to look after his children. 3 So for what it is worth - I don't think Alfred Sisley made any serious attempt to seek French citizenship until his wife died - so maybe he wasn't interested in becoming French and the application late in his short life was to do with protecting his children. He made a second application which interestingly was supported by a police report but sadly Alfred became ill and died in 1899 before receiving an answer. When they returned to France, Sisley made his first application for citizenship which was refused. They stayed for a couple of months where Sisley produced at least 11 oil paintings. We know Sisley made a second brief voyage to Great Britain in 1881 and in 1897 Sisley and his partner Eugénie "Marie" Lescouezec (1834–1898) visited England again and were married (after being together for 30 years and having two children) in Wales. In Paris, he met the artists Frédéric Bazille, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Claude Monet, and James Whistler while studying in Charles Gleyre's (1806-74) atelier. Sisley returned to Paris in 1860, where he enrolled at the École des Beaux-Arts. 2 While in London, Sisley is said to have spent much of his time visiting the exhibitions of John Constable and J.M.W. In 1857 when Alfred was 18 his father sent him to London for a career in business, but he abandoned it after four years and returned to Paris in 1861. The next mystery associated with Alfred Sisley is - why wasn't Alfred accepted as one of the French Impressionists?Īgain, I think this might be partly related to the fact that he never gave up his love of England and his love of the paintings of Constable and Turner. William Sisley (Alfred's father) by Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1) When I read of Sisley's obvious love of two countries I am reminded of the Australian John Russell who was also a significant contributor to the French School of Impressionism and like Sisley was not accepted. Some commentary suggests Alfred's background was too English to be accepted by the French but I think the fact that Alfred never gave up his English citizenship 1 might also have concerned the French! We will never know. He was not a "pure Englishman" as usually reported. I've done a little genealogical research and Alfred's father (below) was also born in France (as was Alfred) to an English father and French mother. 2 Perhaps the French didn't approve of the smuggling trade!! His parents were cousins and descended from a long line of English smugglers and tradesmen. The first mystery that surrounds Sisley is why wasn't he granted French citizenship? Certainly his background was acceptable as the son of a wealthy silk merchant (Guillane "William" Sisley) who did support his son until his business failed during the Franco-Prussian war. It is ironical that decades after his death he would be recognized as one of the great French Impressionist painters. He was also largely ignored as a French Impressionist and died in poverty. Sorry there is so much text and few pictures in this post but we got a little bit carried away with the stories surrounding Sisley!Īs Julie told you, Sisley was born in France and lived most of his life in France though his attempts to become a French citizen were rejected. Sadly his life didn't mirror the beauty found in his paintings.

Personally, I have long admired his works and he rates very high on my list of favourite artists.