“Stop and take in this expansive view of Marly-le-Roi, where Alfred Sisley captures a tranquil moment with vivid brushstrokes and a keen eye for the changing light of the French countryside.”
This painting offers a serene, elevated view of Marly-le-Roi, a town just west of Paris, from a vantage point known as Coeur-Volant. The eye is drawn down the gentle slope of the hill, past the vibrant green gardens and the distinct red roofs of the houses, towards the hazy horizon. Sisley, a consistent practitioner of Impressionism, painted this outdoor scene with a fresh, immediate quality, capturing the transient effects of light and atmosphere. The brushstrokes are lively and visible, particularly in the foliage and the sky, conveying the briskness of a clear day. This work exemplifies the Impressionist ideal of capturing a specific moment, making the viewer feel as though they are standing right there, breathing the same air.
- Artist
- Alfred Sisley
- Date
- 1876
- Medium
- Oil on canvas
- Location
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Dimensions
- 25 3/4 x 36 3/8 in. (65.4 x 92.4 cm)
- Collection
- European Paintings
- Credit line
- Bequest of Miss Adelaide Milton de Groot (1876-1967), 1967
What to Notice
Five details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.
The varied greens of the gardens and trees, suggesting different types of foliage.
The small figures in the distance, hinting at daily life in the town.
The way the red roofs punctuate the landscape.
The subtle shift in color and detail from foreground to background.
1 more detail is waiting.
See all 5 in Art Whisper →Stand in front of it and listen
The full narration walks you through View of Marly-le-Roi from Coeur-Volant — the story behind it, the details most visitors miss, and why it matters. Free in the Art Whisper app.
Alfred Sisley
1839–1899 · United Kingdom of Great Britain and IrelandAlfred Sisley, the dedicated landscape painter, captured the fleeting light of the French countryside in works like 'A Turn in the Road' and 'Watering Place at Marly'.
Further Works by Sisley
A Turn in the Road
1873 · Art Institute of Chicago
Landscape along the Seine with the Institut de France and the Pont des Arts
1875 · Art Institute of Chicago
The Seine at Port-Marly, Piles of Sand
1875 · Art Institute of Chicago
Watering Place at Marly
1875 · Art Institute of Chicago
Street in Moret
1890 · Art Institute of Chicago
The Loire
1896 · Art Institute of Chicago
Four Geese by the River
1885 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Three Sketches-Two Geese Walking; Peasant Woman with a Cow; Goose Hiding its Head
1895 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
More from Impressionism
More works to explore
Beyond Sisley and Impressionism: works from the same years.
Same era · 1860s–1890s
Cart with Black Ox
Vincent van Gogh · 1884 · Portland Art Museum
Same era · 1860s–1890s
Chariot Race
Léon-Victor Dupré · 1876 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1860s–1890s
Paris Street; Rainy Day
Kawabata Gyokushō · 1877 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1860s–1890s
A Sunday on La Grande Jatte — 1884
Okada Saburosuke · 1884 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1860s–1890s
The Backgammon Players
Philip Webb · 1861 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1860s–1890s
Beata Beatrix
Dante Gabriel Rossetti · 1877 · Birmingham Museums Trust
Same era · 1860s–1890s
Henri Degas and His Niece Lucie Degas (The Artist's Uncle and Cousin)
Edgar Degas · 1875 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1860s–1890s
Lunch at the Restaurant Fournaise (The Rowers' Lunch)
Pierre-Auguste Renoir · 1875 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1860s–1890s
The Fishermen (Fantastic Scene)
Paul Cézanne · 1875 · Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1860s–1890s
The Man with the Dog
Édouard Manet · 1877 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1860s–1890s
The Seine at Pont de Grenelle
Paul Gauguin · 1875 · Wallraf–Richartz Museum
Same era · 1860s–1890s
Woman at Her Toilette
Berthe Morisot · 1877 · Art Institute of Chicago