About this artwork

Sisley enjoyed painting water and here captured splendidly the spume and spray of the river as it slides over the foreground weir or gushes through the barrier beyond. The weir breaks the flow of the River Thames to create a floating basin and to direct water into Molesey Lock. Sisley depicted the view upstream from Hampton Court Bridge, to the west of London, with Ash Island and the northern bank of the Thames beyond. The group of bathers included at the left provides human interest and a sense of scale, while blending perfectly with the river scene.

Audio commentary

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Updated before 2020

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Alfred Sisley

Alfred Sisley