In a sea of reds, the Art Institute of Chicago’s “Gustave Caillebotte: Painting His World” explored the wide variety of interests and works of the famous impressionist painter Gustave Caillebotte in a vibrant arrangement that starts strong but leaves the viewer exhausted.
The exhibit was organized on the 130th anniversary of the artist’s death in 1894, which is also the year his collection was bequeathed to the French government. In honor of the artist, the entire collection opened as a temporary exhibition at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris in October 2024, after which it ran at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles before making its way to its final stop at the Art Institute of Chicago from June 29 to Oct. 5, 2025.
Caillebotte has always been a long-time favorite of mine. Despite being born into wealth, he opted to actually work as a full-time artist rather than lounge around as a part of the bourgeoisie (a rare choice from a white male), so I was anxious to see the exhibit.
As a man of many hats — pun intended since many of his paintings feature classic black top hats — he pursued interests in rowing, gardening and sailing and was a leader of the Impressionist movement.
The Art Institute’s exhibition flowed in sections from “Domestic Life” and “Sportsmen” to “Working Men” and “Caillebotte’s Paris,” amongst various other divisions.
The flow of the exhibition was well-curated at first, but lengthy at best.
Caillebotte’s scenes of domestic life had me fangirling over his pointed “Young Man at His Window” and “Luncheon,” which showcase the ignorance of the bourgeois through intimate scenes.
Sportsmen was by far my favorite section, with “Boating Party” and “Skiffs” being the stars of the show. I spent a good hour with the awkwardly sized ant-looking men boating down aqua rivers.
Cailebotte’s “Paris Street; Rainy Day,” in its sheer magnitude, spans the entirety of the wall when you walk into the Impressionism gallery of the institute. For this exhibition, it was moved to the upper floor near the American and Modernist wings, which did not disappoint.
With over 120 works in the exhibit, one could find Caillebotte’s most important paintings, sketches, photographs and documents in “Painting His World.”
While it’s no longer at the AIC, you can catch many of Caillebotte’s works, like “Rainy Day,” in the Impressionist section of the museum.
Jane Alexander’s “Infantry with beast” will be on display next at the art institute from Nov. 15 to Jan. 12.
Email: c.kirwan@daily northwestern.com
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