Interview with the Artist Alfred Sisley from the 19th Century

In the year of 2190, I became a news reporter for the Investigated Arts Magazine. I thought this job might change my life, but it didn’t; I was buried because no job had been assigned to me. Until one day, the war of art between ancient artists and modern artists exploded and I must transmit back to 1890 to interview Alfred Sisley to prove that ancient artists had the tick. I hopped to the time machine and here I am, in front of Alfred Sisley’s house at Moret-sur-Loing.

Interviewer: Kitty Niu

Interviewee: Alfred Sisley

Interview Setting: Interview conducted in Alfred Sisley’s house. The interview was conducted at 1:30 PM on Wednesday afternoon in the year of 1890.

(Start of Interview)

K(Kitty)

A(Alfred Sisley)

K: Good morning Sir, how delightful is today’s weather. My name is Kitty, I am an enthusiast of your arts and I am just wondering if it is possible to discuss your art with you.

A: How astonish! Welcome in!

K: Even though I enjoy your art work, but I am not very familiar with the stories behind your art work and I want to know something about you too.

A: Well, I was born in France on October 1839 and lived in France for most of my lifetime; however, I am still British in terms of nationality.

K: Why didn’t you apply for French citizenship then ?

A: I wanted to, but I got denied by the French government. When I applied the second time, I was supported by a police report but it was intervened by my illness.

K: Oh, so you are a British impressionist landscape painter then.

A: Yes, but it does not interfere my friendship with Frédéric Bazille, Claude Monet, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. We used to paint landscapes en plein air toghther.

K: Sorry Mr. Sisley, but what is en plein air?

A: It means “in the open air” in French, which means outdoor. By painting outdoor, we can realistically capture the transient effects of sunlight. This approach resulted in making paintings more colourful and more broadly painted than the public was accustomed to...