The eclectic artist and collector Gustave Caillebote produced paintings that don't quite fit with Impressionist standards. These differences are easily identified when comparing and contrasting one of Caillebotte's paintings with one of Claude Monet's works. For this study, Monet's painting Impression: Sunrise and Caillebotte's Floorscrapers will be looked at and compared against one another.
Monet's Impression: Sunrise is the ideal Impressionist painting. Monet uses obvious and fast brushstrokes alone with bright and complimentary colors to give the impression of a sunrise. He works to recreate the essence of when one looks over the water toward the sunrise, giving the viewer a beautiful reminder of the unique colors found at sunrise. Also, Impressionist works are often a 'forgetful' art, and are often of beautiful landscapes, scenes of people joyfully strolling along an avenue or celebrations, however, Impressionism can also
Caillebotte's Floorscrapers is for many reasons not necessarily considered Impressionist. Although he certainly has visible brushstrokes, he paints the male form, at work. This painting really strives to show off the muscularity of the men doing the work. Although the brushstrokes are visible, the work is nicely modeled. It isn't necessarily made in order to capture the hardness of the work the men are doing, but that they are doing work. It talks of wealth, due to the height of the building, which the viewer can infer from the fact that we see a roof from outside the window. This painting shows the way the professions of these men has changed and enhanced their bodies. They are strong because of the work they do.
One reason this painting by Caillebotte may be construed at Impressionist is because of the way he captures and presents light to the viewer. His work seems to be about capturing light on the figure, or the floor or the other features of the painting. Floorscrapers alludes to the tediousness of the job of floorscraping and how to pass the time without too much pain, the workers drink, a bottle and glasses are off to the right of the painting, nearly unnoticeable, yet very much in plain sight.
While Monet's Impression: Sunrise strives to capture a fleeting moment, Floorscrapers captures a moment the is much like many others in the span of the act and work of scraping a floor. Instead of finding the most unique moment, he paints the most dull, the most tedious, the action that happens most often in the work of scraping a floor. Why does one scrape a floor anyway? Surely the bourgeoisie people viewing the work understand that sometimes you simply must employ floor scrapers. Everyone, even the poorest child in France to the highest of high officials and artists understand the beauty of a sunrise over the water.
Monet's Impression: Sunrise is the ideal Impressionist painting. Monet uses obvious and fast brushstrokes alone with bright and complimentary colors to give the impression of a sunrise. He works to recreate the essence of when one looks over the water toward the sunrise, giving the viewer a beautiful reminder of the unique colors found at sunrise. Also, Impressionist works are often a 'forgetful' art, and are often of beautiful landscapes, scenes of people joyfully strolling along an avenue or celebrations, however, Impressionism can also
Caillebotte's Floorscrapers is for many reasons not necessarily considered Impressionist. Although he certainly has visible brushstrokes, he paints the male form, at work. This painting really strives to show off the muscularity of the men doing the work. Although the brushstrokes are visible, the work is nicely modeled. It isn't necessarily made in order to capture the hardness of the work the men are doing, but that they are doing work. It talks of wealth, due to the height of the building, which the viewer can infer from the fact that we see a roof from outside the window. This painting shows the way the professions of these men has changed and enhanced their bodies. They are strong because of the work they do.
One reason this painting by Caillebotte may be construed at Impressionist is because of the way he captures and presents light to the viewer. His work seems to be about capturing light on the figure, or the floor or the other features of the painting. Floorscrapers alludes to the tediousness of the job of floorscraping and how to pass the time without too much pain, the workers drink, a bottle and glasses are off to the right of the painting, nearly unnoticeable, yet very much in plain sight.
While Monet's Impression: Sunrise strives to capture a fleeting moment, Floorscrapers captures a moment the is much like many others in the span of the act and work of scraping a floor. Instead of finding the most unique moment, he paints the most dull, the most tedious, the action that happens most often in the work of scraping a floor. Why does one scrape a floor anyway? Surely the bourgeoisie people viewing the work understand that sometimes you simply must employ floor scrapers. Everyone, even the poorest child in France to the highest of high officials and artists understand the beauty of a sunrise over the water.
It's also interesting to observe that Caillebotte painted an indoor scene, whereas Monet (a true Impressionist) wasn't really interested in indoor light or indoor subject matter.
ReplyDelete-Prof. Bowen
Great comparison between Monet's "Sunrise" and Caillebotte's "Floor Scrapers". The fact that "Floor Scrapers" is a painting of men with masculine bodies at work, is one thing that makes this painting look nothing like the impressionist style paintings. Impressionist, like Monet, painted forgetful images, where people were simply lost in the moment of enjoying life. "Sunrise" is a great example of a true Impressionist painting.
ReplyDeleteI like the distinct opposition in the works that you chose. It showed a clear divide in classes and gave the viewer a look behind the scenes in everyday life. I also liked that you referred to the form of escapism being used by both the outdoor scene and the bottle of wine.
ReplyDeleteHey! I think you make a really good point at pointing out that Coillebotte is seemingly just as interested in light as the other impressionists. his focus on it is quite obvious especially in pain gins like the floor scrapers, or luncheon.
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