I have seen Caillebotte's paintings before and liked them but could not remember his name. The New York Times recently did a nice review of a Gustave Caillebotte show through July 5 at the Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway, at Prospect Park; (718) 638-5000. There is a useful set of nine images of his work I especially liked The Floor Scrapers,” “House Painters,” and “Oarsmen Rowing on the Yerres.” All three have a very strong use of color and interesting perspective. Some of the others are more diffuse and are not as strong in my view. This is a show I want to see in person.
Caillebotte became an artist late in life, enrolling at the École des Beaux-Arts, but soon left. He was largely self-taught and moved back and forth between Paris and the family estate in the village of Yerres, painting what he found. He was rich so he just did what he wanted. The Times writes that, “he visited the first Impressionist salon in 1874. When the second one took place two years later, the artists involved, including Monet, Renoir, Sisley, Cézanne and Degas, welcomed his participation.”
Gustave repaid their hospitality with patronage. “He organized exhibitions for them, promoted their careers, paid their rent (Monet survived on his generosity for years) and bought their paintings, amazing things, out of the studio. He bequeathed his collection to the French government, with the stipulation that it be put on public view. Part of it became the foundation of what is now the Musée d’Orsay.” This is one of my favorite museums so I am grateful for this effort. Calliebotte did not paint long so I ma also grateful for this show which mostly came from private collections.
Comments