Gustave Caillebotte

Gustave Caillebotte (1848–1894) was a French painter, patron, and collector closely associated with the Impressionist movement. Celebrated for his precise perspective, subtle color harmonies, and modern urban subjects, he created iconic works such as Paris Street, Rainy Day that captured the rhythm and geometry of contemporary life. Caillebotte’s paintings often depicted Parisian boulevards, working-class scenes, and leisure activities along the Seine, blending realism with Impressionist light and atmosphere. Born into a wealthy Parisian family, he trained as a lawyer and engineer before devoting himself to painting at the École des Beaux-Arts. His fortune allowed him to financially support fellow Impressionists like Monet, Renoir, and Pissarro, helping them exhibit and gain recognition. Caillebotte never married and spent much of his later life at his estate in Petit-Gennevilliers, where he painted landscapes and garden scenes until his death in 1894.