Paris Street; Rainy Day

Paris Street; Rainy Day
French: Rue de Paris, temps de pluie
ArtistGustave Caillebotte
Year1877
MediumOil on canvas
Dimensions212.2 cm × 276.2 cm (83.5 in × 108.7 in)
LocationArt Institute of Chicago, Charles H. and Mary F. S. Worcester Collection, Chicago
Accession1964.336
Websitewww.artic.edu/artworks/20684/paris-street-rainy-day

Paris Street; Rainy Day (French: Rue de Paris, temps de pluie) is a large 1877 oil painting by the French artist Gustave Caillebotte (1848–1894), and is his best known work. It shows a number of individuals walking through the Place de Dublin, then known as the Carrefour de Moscou, at an intersection to the east of the Gare Saint-Lazare in north Paris. Although Caillebotte was a friend and patron of many of the impressionist painters, and this work is part of that school, it differs in its realism and reliance on line rather than broad brush strokes.

Caillebotte's interest in photography is evident. The figures in the foreground appear "out of focus", those in the mid-distance (the carriage and pedestrians at the intersection) have sharp edges, while the features in the background become progressively indistinct. The severe cropping of some figures—particularly the man at the far right—further suggests the influence of photography.

The painting was first shown at the Third Impressionist Exhibition of 1877. It is currently owned by the Art Institute of Chicago. Art curator Gloria Groom described the work as "the great picture of urban life in the late 19th century." It is known for qualities such as its mise-en-scène presentation and use of two-point perspective. Its 1964 acquisition by the Art Institute brought Caillebotte into greater prominence enabling his status as painter to begin to catchup to his status as a philanthropist, patron and promoter of art.