Gustave Caillebotte did several works with boating themes, and the one above is my favorite.
Few people know, however, that he also appeared as a model in one of the most famous
impressionist paintings ever, Renoir's Luncheon of the Boating Party.
Mr. Caillebotte is the handsome young man at lower right:
Below, we have another of Mr. Caillebotte's boating pieces, Boating Party. While it might
seem odd to be rowing in a top hat, vest, and tie, it was quite ordinary at the time.
IRT Luncheon of the Boating Party, I've always thought the two guys at the back are chatting each other up-Dee Exx
ReplyDeleteCould be.
DeleteRameur un chapeau haut de forme / Boating Party was declared a National art trésor by France in 2020.
ReplyDeleteRenoir and other Impressionist artistes were close friends of the famille Caillebotte. He had studied as a youth with the studio of painter Léon Bonnat.
Caillebotte was a patron of Degas, de Nittis, Renoir, Pissaro and other artistes who he financially supported and funded their art exhibits. He even paid the rent on the studio of Monet ! :)
You are quite correct about his support of good artists. Apparently this was known before Caillebotte's own art work was recognized for its excellence.
DeleteBoating Party I have seen as a life size sculpture, and I can't think for the life of me where I saw it. I think it was here, I seem to recall an outdoor museum of art.
ReplyDeleteinteresting concept, but I can't imagine it without the color.
DeleteIt's all in colour, just like the painting.
DeleteI'd love to see it in 3D.
DeleteI myself love Caillebotte's work. My introduction to him was Renoir's painting. To my eyes , in the activity going on around him, he is looking at the boatman leaning against the railing. While can't know for sure if he was gay or not, after years of looking at his work. My heart tells me he was. It's in the way he paints men. Your example of Young Man at the Window is a great one. There is so much going on in that painting and the man has his back to us. Look at the man in the top hat rowing how much detail there is in his clothing, and the viewer (the painter) seems very aware of the rower's crotch ( or maybe that's just me).
ReplyDeleteAnyway I love his work and am so glad you featured him.
Also- another commentor mentions a life sized sculpted version of the painting-It' called Were You Invited and was done by J. Seward Johnson, who did 3 dimensional sculptures of several Impressionist paintings. You can find his stuff on Google. Thanks again for the great post
Thank you for your thoughtful comment. It was my pleasure to put this one together, and there will be a followup series.
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