The French painter Gustave Caillebotte has suffered more than most from the fact that he wasn¡¯t Monet, Manet, or Renoir. As one of the second-ranking Impressionists, he has long been in the shadow of these more famous names with which his career is associated.
Also, there is a question mark over just how ¡°impressionistic¡± his work is. Compared to the experimental work of Monet or the soft-focus brushwork of Renoir, Caillebotte¡¯s paintings can seem like a reversion to realism.
But in the social and organizational life of the Impressionists, who grouped together to reject the authority of the Acad¨¦mie des Beaux-Arts, Caillebotte played an important part, not least because of his wealthy background.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.