Monday, February 4, 2013

Gustave Caillebotte- The Floor Scrapers


In his painting The Floor Scrapers Gustave Caillebotte bases the entire painting on light and how it reflects off of objects. He uses the same technique in his painting Paris: A Rainy Day. In The Floor Scrapers, Caillebotte uses hidden meanings to show how the artist involved in the impressionist movement are changing the art world. This metaphorical meaning conveyed through his painting was those artists are beginning to strip away the old standards of art, such as the old standards of academic standards. The artists were beginning to take over and call their own shots instead of the critics. One example of artist beginning to take control over their art was the case where James Whistler sued John Ruskin, a renowned critic over what he said about his painting and Whistler won.
The Floor Scrapers
Paris: A Rainy Day

Another work of Caillebotte was Oarsmen Rowing on the YerresThis work was another one of his works that was included in his impressionist movement. In this work the viewer is placed in the bow of the boat and one of the oarsmen has his head down smoking a pipe as though he is not concerned with where he is going or who is in front of him. The other oarsman is casually glancing to the side as though it doesn't matter to him either. Caillebotte puts both of these men at ease while they are rowing, as though they don’t have a care in the world.
Oarsmen Rowing on the Yerres

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