The Gustave Caillebotte Collection

‘Les Jardiniers’, Gustave Caillebotte, oil on canvas, 1870s. Colourful, with a touch of magical realism, you can almost feel the heat beating down on the white-hatted heads of these dedicated gardeners. But what an earth were they thinking, watering in the midday sun?

‘Les Raboteurs de Parquet’, Gustave Caillebotte, oil on canvas, 1875. Often known as ‘The Floor Scrapers’, Caillebotte perfectly transmits the impression of the hard physical labour involved in stripping back layers of stain and varnish.

‘Rue de Paris, Temps de Pluie’, Gustave Caillebotte, oil on canvas, 1877. A clear, fresh scene on a rainy Paris street. Look closely however and you’ll see the rain is absent – not a drop to be seen. Has the rain recently ceased, and as is often the case, the walkers have yet to notice and fold their umbrellas?

Gustave Caillebotte was born on 19 August 1848 to an upper-class Parisian family living in the rue du Faubourg-Saint-Denis. His father, Martial Caillebotte (1799–1874), was the inheritor of the family’s military textile business and was also a judge at the Seine department‘s Tribunal de commerce. Caillebotte’s father was twice widowed before marrying Caillebotte’s mother, Céleste Daufresne (1819–1878), who had two more sons after Gustave: René (1851–1876) and Martial (1853–1910). Caillebotte was born at home on rue du Faubourg-Saint-Denis in Paris, and lived there until 1866, when his father had a home built on 77 rue de Miromesnil. Beginning in 1860, the Caillebotte family began spending many of their summers in Yerres, a town on the Yerres River about 12 miles (20 km) south of Paris, where Martial Caillebotte, Sr. had purchased a large property. It probably was around this time that Caillebotte began to draw and paint.

Blank inside, so suitable for birthdays, anniversaries, and all occasions.

Dimensions: 178mm by 127mm (landscape).

Printed on 300gsm FSC approved Invercote card stock using high quality inks to retain the colours of the original image. Each card is supplied with a white laid envelope, so you can share them with friends and family.