Coming from a wealthy family, Caillebotte was naturally drawn to portraying the lives of the bourgeoisie- the new middle class, as well as the transformation of Paris' urban landscape.

Haussmann
A new city landscape

Bourgeoisie
A new upper-middle class

Industrial Revolution
New manufacturing processes

Gustave Caillebotte, Paris Street; Rainy Day, 1877, 2.39 m x 1.85 m, Art Institute of Chicago Building.

The contrast between the sweaty workers and the lavish apartment exemplifies the rise of the bourgeoisie and the widening gap between the social and economic classes in Paris.

Bourgeoisie
A new upper-middle class

Realism
Depicting contemporary life

Light & Color
Depicting the effects
of natural light

Gustave Caillebotte, The Floor Scrapers, 1875, oil on canvas, 6.4 x 4.9 in., Musée d'Orsay, Paris.

The model for this painting was Caillebotte's brother, who stands inside a wealthy apartment observing the changes that occur to the city's landscape under the direction of Barone Haussmann.

Haussmann
A new city landscape

Bourgeoisie
A new upper-middle class

Gustave Caillebotte, Young Man at His Window, 1875, oil on canvas, 46 × 32 in., Private Collection.

Another portrayal of the rising middle class and the new urban landscape of Paris. The steel bridge indicates the new technological abilities that were brought by the Industrial Revolution.

Haussmann
A new city landscape

Bourgeoisie
A new upper-middle class

Industrial Revolution
New manufacturing processes

Gustave Caillebotte, Le Pont de l'Europe, 1881-2, oil on canvas, 125 x 181 cm, Private Collection, Geneva.

In this painting, Degas showcases the influences of Realism by depicting dancers occupied with mundane activities. The bright color shining from outside is a testament to the Impressionists' interest in the effects of natural light.

Bourgeoisie
A new upper-middle class

Realism
Depicting contemporary life

Light & Color
Depicting the effects
of natural light

Edgar Degas, The Dance Class, 1874, oil on canvas, 32 7/8 x 30 3/8 in., The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

The tired expressions and the poses of the couple, as well as the tables placed between them and the spectator, are another showcase of Realist influences, where the artist aimed to capture an unvarnished image of the reality around him.

Bourgeoisie
A new upper-middle class

Realism
Depicting contemporary life

En Plein Air
Painting outdoors

Edgar Degas, The Absinthe Drinker, 1875-6, oil on canvas, 92 x 68.5 cm, Musée d'Orsay, Paris.

Degas rejected the accepted artistic rules of the time as evident here by the cropped carriage and the unbalanced composition. He also portrays the life of the bourgeoisie- the French new middle class, and this time- outdoors.

Bourgeoisie
A new upper-middle class

En Plein Air
Painting outdoors

Edgar Degas, At the Races in the Countryside, 1869, oil on canvas, 36.5 x 55.9 cm, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

The influences of realism and photography can be seen here through the cropping of the figures and their poses. The wide avenue in the background showcases the massive renovation that the city went through at the time.

Haussmann
A new city landscape

Bourgeoisie
A new upper-middle class

En Plein Air
Painting outdoors

Edgar Degas, Place de la Concorde, 1875, oil on canvas, 78.4 × 117.5 cm, Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg.