Lost Canvases Of The 1860’s and The Impressionist Palette

Impressionist Palette of 'The Footbridge’ ©1867

The riverbank has areas of peach-ochre and orange. The bright effect continues with light greens and browns. The pathway also has a peach-ochre with touches of orange. Meandering into the woods atmospheric 'blue hues’, the pathway has touches of blue. The extensive use of white heightens the color palette.

The brushstrokes are applied quickly capturing the vibrancy of the figure approaching the bridge. Small circular brushstrokes in white, single out the light on the pathway.

(see page: Nuance of Brushstroke 'Sous Bois’)

If correctly dated (1) 'The Footbridge’ is possibly the earliest example of the Impressionist color palette and brushstroke – technique in French Impressionism. Profoundly relevant to questions about their emergence in the art movement.

LOST CANVASES

Bougival Period (1867- 1870)
Artistic experimentation and collaboration in plein air painting between Sisley, Camille Pissarro, Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Frederic Bazille began in the forest of Fontainebleau.
The emergence of the Impressionist Palette and brush-stroke technique are established in the paintings of the Bougival Period. Locations around the western suburbs of Paris. Often referencing the place names – Bougival and Louveciennes.
In this period, Sisley resided at the town of Bougival, Claude Monet at the nearby village of Saint-Michel and Camille Pissarro at 22 Route de Versailles, Louveciennes.

Requisitioning of Studios
Prussian army occupied the town of Bougival and Louveciennes as part of the western encirclement and siege of Paris: Franco-Prussian war 1870-1871.
Requisitioning properties which included the artist’s residences.
Sisley reminiscences to Adolphe Tavernier about ”losing all that I possessed at Bougival during the war and taking refuge in Paris, I returned to the same area, to Louveciennes in 1872” (2).
Pissarro and Monet relocated to London and there are biographical details about the 22 Route de Versailles, Louveciennes.
Hundreds of paintings destroyed, including paintings stored by Monet.

(1) John Rewald (Impressionist Scholar) dated the work c1867. Research Page 'The Footbridge’ Monogram highlights the initials of the monogram are comparable with the signature on 'Village Street in Marlotte’ 1866

(2) Letter of 19th January 1892 to Adolphe Tavernier (1853-1945 French writer and Art Critic) Fondation Custodia (F.Lugt coll.) Institut Neerlandais, Paris,1973-A1) Quoted in R.Shone Sisley London 1992