Faure was an avid collector of paintings by Corot and the Impressionists. He sat for several portraits by Manet and owned many of his paintings, including Le Déjeuner sur l’Herbe (Musée d’Orsay).

In Ville d'Avray, Corot's palette is restrained, dominated with browns and blacks ("forbidden colors" among the Impressionists). Like similar Barbizon scenes, this painting has a moody quality, ...