Gustave Caillebotte

Gustave Caillebotte was one of the leading figures of the French Impressionist movement, although he painted more realistically than other impressionists. Paintings such as "Paris Street; Rainy Day" reflect this realism. This work is a striking example of what is known today as Impressionism. In fact, Monet used this painting as inspiration for his own impressionist work that would become famous later on in his career. Caillebotte was born in 1848 into a wealthy upper-class Parisian family. Despite being a trained engineer, he took an interest in painting and began studying under painter Léon Bonnat and later entered the École des Beaux-Arts.

Early in his career, Caillebotte came under the influence of Impressionists Claude Monet and Edgar Degas; he was highly regarded by the group for his accurate rendering of light and shadow. Despite this early involvement with his contemporaries, however, he did not embrace them as fellow artists; Caillebotte instead chose to remain independent throughout his life.