The Boulevard Seen From Above

Gustave Caillebotte was a French painter, art collector, and impresario who combined aspects of the academic and Impressionist styles in a unique synthesis. He was not only one of the group of impressionists, he also loaned them money (including paying the rent on Monet's studio for a while). Most importantly, he bought their paintings for top dollar. Caillebotte was very wealthy; his father had made a fortune supplying Napoleon's army with uniforms, bedding, and other materials. Gustave inherited that fortune at age 26 and he spent it on his passion (painting) and on helping his friends (by buying their paintings). He purchased about 64 paintings from Monet, Renoir, Sisley, Pissarro, and others.

For me, Caillebotte was like an Edward Hopper of 19th-century Paris. His paintings scream with the loneliness of a modern man. Also fascinated by the new popular medium, photography, he implemented a very different perspective to his works. It is visible in today's painting, where we see a street scene painted from a balcony. Caillebotte loved balconies and painting the outside world from his apartment. It is so modern!

P.S. Here, you can explore another famous street scene painted by Caillebotte, this time on a rainy day.

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