Gustave Caillebotte Paris Street; Rainy Day,1877

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Perhaps one of the most recognizable paintings of 19th century France is Gustave Caillebote’s “Paris Street; Rainy Day”. The painting was begun in 1876 and finished early in 1877. Gustave Caillebotte’s “Paris Street; Rainy Day” was exhibited for the first time in the Third Impressionist exhibition in Paris, held in 1877. Currently displayed in the Art Institute of Chicago depicts the intersection of the rue de Moscou and the rue de Turin , on the rue de Leningrad from Saint-Lazare Station at its southwest end to the Place Clichy. The street was called the New Paris, or the modern capital of Europe. The streets , buildings and the services that can be seen in the painting had all been built during the artist’s own lifetime. Painted by Gustave Caillebotte “Paris Street; Rainy Day” is the monumentally large painting with dimensions about 9 feet wide and 7 feet high. The medium of this work is oil on canvas. The lines and shapes are both biomorphic and geometric. We can observe biomorphic elements in some parts of the water in the rain-slicked paving stones and the figures as they are walking across them. The lines and pulleys and some parts of the waves are example of geometric elements in the painting. In this nearly life-size figured masterpiece the color scheme has limited range of hues with mostly blues and red accents. There are some strong value contrasts but the overall intensity is fairly dull. Caillebotte’s is giving a complete image of the settling down life in the city after the rainstorm without loose open brush work showing his amazing drawing skills. There is a sense of line , contours and forms that existing in 3 dimensional space. “Paris Street; Rainy Day “ gives... ... middle of paper ... ... for both women and men . Umbrellas were not only protecting people from rain but most importantly play a key role as an accessories for a modern Parisian. In conclusion , Caiebotte’s “Paris Street; Rainny Day” has been called one of the most effective paintings of the modern urban landscape of 19th century Paris. At first we see the image of the city after the rainstorm but upon closer look , it actually revels much more about the social condition and captures the mood of it’s time. It’s popularity is ensured by the fact that though its massage may be uncomfortable it opens our eyes to social problems that we still can relate in modern times. Sources: www.artic.edu/aic/.../artist/Caillebotte,+Gustave Art Institute of Chicago www.britannica.com/.../Gustave-Caillebotte www.npr.org › Arts & Life › Art & Design › Fine Art

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