Caillebotte in Chicago: Quiet Drama, Sublime Light

The Incredible Art Institute of Chicago

Photographs by Leanne Trivett S. ©

I recently had the chance to visit the Gustave Caillebotte: Painting His World exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago - and I’m still thinking about it.

Long considered a quieter voice among the Impressionists, Caillebotte emerges here as anything but minor.  His world is precise, contemplative, and luminous.  The color palette alone is stunning - subtle grays, soft blues, creamy whites, and the occasional flash of red or ochre that catches the eye like a whisper becoming a shout.  It’s a restrained brilliance that somehow makes everything feel more alive.

Many of his figures - often handsomely dressed men in top hats and tailored coats - inhabit city streets, sunlit interiors, gardens, and riverbanks.  They appear paused in thought, looking outward with a sense of quiet longing or deep interiority.  There’s something beautifully unresolved in many of these works -  a moment held just before something happens, or perhaps just after.

Each painting feels like a world unto itself, rich with visual information and emotional nuance.  The framing, the geometry, the treatment of light - all invite you to linger, to look again.  What at first seems still begins to shimmer with subtle movement and meaning.

I have always felt inspired by the Impressionists -  their fearless use of light, their ability to turn fleeting moments into lasting impressions. Seeing Caillebotte’s paintings in person, with all their subtle emotion and unexpected clarity, has already begun to shape the way I’m thinking about my own work.

The curation of the exhibition is exquisite.  Thoughtfully paced, immersive, and rich in context, it allows Caillebotte’s work to unfold slowly - just as his paintings ask us to do.

A deeply rewarding, quietly dazzling show. If you're anywhere near Chicago, don’t miss it.

Photograph of Gustave Caillebotte walking with his dog taken by his brother Martial Caillebotte.

Gustave Caillebotte. Paris Street; Rainy Day 1877

Gustave Caillebotte. Boating Party, about 1877–78. Musée d’Orsay, Paris, Purchased thanks to the exclusive patronage of LVMH, 2022. Photo courtesy of GrandPalaisRmn (Musée d’Orsay) / Sophie Crépy.

Gustave Caillebotte. The Pont de l'Europe, 1876.  Modern man observing.

Photographs by Leanne Trivett S. ©