Sisley painted this scene of the river Seine at Suresnes in early 1880, while he was still living in nearby Sèvres. He painted two other versions of this view, perhaps by way of a farewell to the area, as he was shortly to move to the village of Veneux-Nadon near Moret-sur-Loing. Suresnes was close to Paris, just west of the Bois de Boulogne. Sisley concentrated on the effects of the dull light and the chill of the winter atmosphere on the landscape. The vast expanse of grey, overcast sky is only interrupted by the plumes of smoke from the factory chimneys on the left. He was fascinated by the fugitive aspects of light and atmosphere at this time, and was undoubtedly attracted to the scene as it allowed him represent transient elements such as clouds and smoke.