His depictions of men broke with artistic and social norms: Gustave Caillebotte is considered one of the most unusual Impressionists. From February 25, the Getty Center in Los Angeles is dedicating a major exhibition to him with Gustave Caillebotte: Painting Men.
His portraits of high society men challenged artistic and social norms: Gustave Caillebotte (1848-1894) showed himself as a private person in their living rooms, which the public of the time associated with femininity. Until then, men had tended to be depicted with neutral backgrounds or sitting at a desk. But Caillebotte broke with even more conventions: His images of working-class men doing their jobs are characterized by honesty towards the working conditions and they individualize the men, establishing intimacy. Likewise, Caillebotte's pictures of sportsmen are characterized by a demanding gaze that was unseemly for his time. Strength and discipline, two essential male characteristics of the 19th century, play a subordinate role in Caillebotte's work. Naked men were already known in paintings, for example as a sublime nude study. Caillebotte's painting of a man bathing in his house, however, was highly unconventional, suggesting voyeurism and breaking with all 19th century conventions. The Getty Center in Los Angeles is paying tribute to the original oeuvre of the painter, who was controversial among his contemporaries, from February 25 to May 25 in the exhibition Gustave Caillebotte: Painting Men.
Gustave Caillebotte was born in Paris and came from a wealthy family. After studying law and completing his military service, he traveled to Italy in 1872, where he was mainly influenced by Giuseppe de Nittis in Naples. In the following years in France, he tended to abandon his realistic style of painting in favor of Impressionism, but never completely broke away from it. The financially independent artist was an important supporter and financier for the Impressionists: Caillebotte took on central roles in the organization and financing of early Impressionist exhibitions. In addition to his unusual depictions of men, the painter is also known for his innovative street scenes with new perspectives; his oeuvre comprises almost 500 paintings. Caillebotte died in 1894 at the age of 45, presumably from a stroke.
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