Gustave Caillebotte (1848-1894)

His paintings are icons of late 19th century Paris. They show us how Baron Haussmann laid out his broad, open street plans for the new Paris of Napoleon III...

...we learn the fashions and styles of the bourgeoisie as they stroll over the modern, wrought-iron Pont de l'Europe above the bustling Gare St. Lazare...

...we share a bird's eye view from an elegant balcony, as two men gaze down at the Boulevard Haussmann, right about where, today, you will find the big department stores, Galeries Lafayette and Au Printemps...

...we even get a glimpse of the furnishings of an elegant, upper bourgeois home.

The painter, Gustave Caillebotte, didn't just paint these and so many other urban Parisian images; he also lived them. Born into a wealthy family, his home was on the Blvd. Haussmann. Here, he and his brothers enjoyed all the pleasures of the "haute bourgeoisie". He studied at the École des Beaux Arts, joining the School of Realism painters that was strongly influenced by the Impressionists. A generous patron of the arts, he befriended and purchased many works of Monet, Renoir, Degas, and others.

His own artistic interests probably began as a twelve year old, when his parents bought this beautiful summer country home on the banks of the River Yerres, some 12 miles south of Paris. Here in the late 1870s, surrounded by nature, Caillebotte painted some of his most important works in and around the family property.

Happily, the house and grounds have survived. Since 1973 they have been owned by the Commune of Yerres, who supervised restoration work and opened everything to the public. We saw posters in the Paris metro about an exhibition of Caillebotte paintings at the property, so on a recent sunny Thursday, Matthew and I took the RER D train from Paris and spent the day exploring the house and gardens.

Owners of the house go all the way back to the 15th century, with the Caillebotte family one of several 19th century residents. They held on to the property for some twenty years, before selling it to a Madame Dubois and her daughter in 1879, who owned it until 1963!


We were familiar with many of the works in the exhibition gallery, all very nicely framed and lit, but when we were outside, and winding our way through the paths and gardens of the family estate, we soon realized that we were accompanied at just about every step by Monsieur Caillebotte himself. Everywhere we turned, there was another one of his paintings in the leafy lanes, the sweeping lawns and the River Yerres itself.

From the house, the lawns stretch away, lined with mature trees and round flower beds, in full bloom.

Caillebotte painted them from the other direction, the same round flower beds, the house in the distance.

Finding the River Yerres that runs along the length of the property...

...we were reminded of all those tranquil Caillebotte paintings of people fishing...

...and warm weather dips in the cool river waters.

We almost found the exact spot, but today, there was only Mr. and Mrs. Mallard, wandering around the bank, enjoying the sunshine.

These row boats brought memories of the Caillebotte paintings made on this same stretch of river of men in canoes...

...paddling placidly along under the overhanging trees.

It was in the kitchen garden, le potager, though, that the sense of time past and present was most vivid. Here's Caillebotte's painting of the gardeners carefully tending the lettuces.

And here's the garden as it is today -- dêjà-vu all over again!

Remnants of 19th century gardening adorn the walls, like this water pump, that probably filled those watering cans the gardeners are using.

Today, a team of some 20 volunteers work to keep the gardens in full growth.

My vote for the most beautiful bed was this row of rhubarb plants, almost as big as my friend Aggie's in Bolinas, California!

 With M. Caillebotte leading the way...

 ...and Matthew and me following, we made our way back to the formal lawns and gardens around the house...

...admiring some beautiful flowering trees along the way...

...beds of peonies that are suddenly in bloom all around us...

...and glorious wisteria, whose leaves can't quite smother the delicate blossoms!

At the orangerie, which is now a lovely café, we enjoyed a coffee and the peaceful setting, before walking back to the train station and our return to the bustling centre of Paris.

 Merci, Monsieur Caillebotte, for letting us share a lovely, lazy spring day in the country with you!

À bientôt!


(images of paintings courtesy of gustavecaillebotte.org)

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