Background and History of Art Form

• Year of publication for artwork: 1875
• Genre/Style: Landscape Impressionism
• Media/Medium: Oil on Canvas
• Dimension: 73.66 x 99.06 cm
• Location of Display: Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, MD, USA

Background and History of Artist

• Full Name/Recognized Name: Alfred Sisley (French/British)
• Born Date of Artist: 30^th October 1893
• Death Date of Artist: 29^th January 1899
• Occupation: Landscape Painter
• Movement: Impressionism

Brief Overview/History of the Artwork

• Alfred Sisley can be distinguished from other Impressionists by his commitment to landscape painting. He would often focus on the serenity of pastoral settings.[
• The Terrace at Saint-Germain, Spring represents a panoramic view of the Seine Valley and captures the light associated with Springtime.
• The painting portrays a seemingly limitless area of countryside.
• The river is shown winding away from Paris, in the foreground, laborers work in a vineyard and a lone female walk through the orchard.
• In the distance, there is a chateau, which housed the royal court until 1682.
• Modern aspects of the painting include the steam-powered tugboats pulling barges and the railroad bridge.

Analysis of the Colors/Theme

Taking a good look at the painting, we can see that the colors are divided into five sections, each section is representative of one of the five colors that is listed in this color palette. The greens and blues in this cool color palette stand out as Sisley paints a beautiful depiction of the Terrace at Saint Germain in the Springtime. Shall we begin?

Starting with Nickel. This grey is showcased within the sky foreword of the blue that lies in the background. These colors represent the clouds and all it simply does is exude a soothing presence. It is a neutral color that introduces the viewer to the rest of the colors and it blends well with the blue in its background adding to the calming presence that Sisley wants the viewer to feel. 

Next in the line is Lemongrass, coincidentally one of my favorite types of tea. In Jamaica, we call it fever grass because it helps with dwindling down a cold however, in this palette lemongrass is represented in the trees creating that beautiful tree line that we see in the painting. It serves as a bridge between the lower left portion of the painting and the upper right portion where the river, the house, and the land lie. 

Following up with the color Olive, this color is showcased in the lower left portion of the painting. I particularly like how Sisley divided up the scenery with the many different shades of green because this olive green is soft and comforting. Olive serves as a navigation as it leads your eyes to the men working in the field and while viewing olive with lemongrass our eyes are directed towards the maiden walking on the path. 

Moving up towards the upper portion of the painting above the lemongrass tree line we are introduced to a next color of green called Dingley. This Dingley green connects the land, sky, and water and that why is it is the green that is closeted to what a true representation of green is. While all the other greens as light and pale, Dingley is a bit deep showing its connection to the river and sky. 

Lastly, we have Wild Blue Yonder which is the bleu that can be seen in the river, and the background of the Nickel in the sky. The name of this color reminds me of the phrase wonder over yonder (or something to that effect) which brings me to note how the river trails off the right side of the painting. This leaves wonder in the viewer’s eyes as to what lies beyond the river as their imagination of the painting takes hold and continues to linger even after they have finished viewing Sisley’s piece. 

Personal Viewpoint on the Artwork.

Overall, I found this piece captivating to analyze. The abundance of greens and blues immediately drew me in, and as green and blue happen to be two of my favorite colors, Sisley’s skillful representation in this springtime painting greatly resonated with me. The color names, aside from being intriguing, also hold logical and meaningful qualities. Thank you for joining me on my analysis of The Terrace at Saint Germain, Spring by Alfred Sisley.

References:

https://www.wikiart.org/en/alfred-sisley/the-terrace-at-saint-germain-spring-1875

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Terrace_at_Saint-Germain,_Spring_(painting)

https://www.wikiart.org/en/alfred-sisley

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Sisley

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