Gustave Caillebotte — the man who saved the Impressionism movement

Many of the art movements historically went hand-in-hand with the success among the art collectors and wealthy patrons. Not every artist got recognition during his lifetime, but every new art movement still needed some successful figures who would carry the torch and lead fellow artists toward fame. The Impressionism movement was no different.

The movement saw its rise in 19th century France, but it wouldn’t be as successful if there would have been no faith and support in artists from patrons, such as Gustave Caillebotte. An artist himself, he did not get much love during his life.

Caillebotte never had to worry much about finances. He was a son of a wealthy Parisian, and at the age of 26, the young Frenchman inherited all his assets. Caillebotte had a passion for painting, and after he became friends with some of the Impressionist painters, this movement became associated with him for the rest of his life.

Richard Gallo and his dog Dick on the banks of the Seine near Petit Gennevilliers (1884) by Gustave Caillebotte. Oil on canvas, 89 cm x 116 cm. Source: Wikipedia Commons.

There was plenty of scepticism around the Impressionists. They were challenging the traditional norms in art, and it created a lot of controversy within the artist circles. Impressionists were seen as rebels. For artists, it meant some struggle. It was not like in the 21st century when you could tape a banana to the wall and call it art. The art scenery was conservative and demanding. The older generations had their influence on the perspectives of the young artists.

Luckily for Claude Monet, Alfred Sisley, Edgar Degas, and other Impressionist painters — Caillebotte was young, open-minded, and rich. He was enthusiastic about supporting his friends and fellow artists in different ways. Caillebotte not only purchased dozens of their works but also helped to fund the exhibitions, studios, and other expenses the Impressionists had. Even though there were plenty of envious critics, they could not do anything but observe, how the movement was blossoming and encouraging other artists to follow their artistic vision.

The Orange Trees (1878) by Gustave Caillebotte. Oil on canvas, 154.9 cm x 116.8 cm. Source: Wikipedia Commons.

Although Caillebotte did a lot to support fellow artists at the time, he himself also had a productive artistic career. His works were sometimes borderline Impressionist due to his sympathy towards this style, but in general, Caillebotte worked on a Realism style of paintings. The brushwork in his paintings never got too loose and freely applied. The French artist preferred to focus the attention on details and depict those with accuracy.

The topics and scenery of his artworks presented a great variety. Since he spent most of his life in Paris, it was often depicted in Caillebotte’s works. Occasionally, he painted some of the more rural landscapes and scenes from Yerres, where he had inherited a large estate from his father. Those paintings mostly included light summer scenes of the river and people enjoying their time swimming or rowing a boat.

Caillebotte made many paintings depicting everyday scenery at his home. Those included portraits of his family members and friends. One of his works (Young Man at His Window) was inspired by German Romanticism works, such as Woman at a window by Caspar David Friedrich. Caillebotte used the concept of Rückenfigur — a figure seen from behind similarly to the German master.

Portrait of a Man (1880) by Gustave Caillebotte. Oil on canvas, 81.3 cm x 65.6 cm. Source: Wikipedia Commons.

The French artist and patron died early — at the age of 45. His works gained attention from the collectors only six decades after his death, and more than 100 years later, Man on a Balcony, Boulevard Haussmann was sold for $14.3 million in 2000. Nevertheless, Gustave Caillebotte was a key figure in the development of the Impressionism movement. His name might be less known and mentioned, but Caillebotte was always there for fellow artists in need of that financial support. If they would not receive that support, most likely, Impressionism would never reach any major heights.

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