Art as a Cultural Narrative, Essay Example

Paris Street; Rainy Day by Gustave Caillebotte is an example of an impressionist painting. It features the use of darker colors that emphasize the theme of the painting, rain. Two Parisians stand in the front right of the painting and are the main focus. Their faces reflect the drabness that their city is emitting, and the individuals walking in the background with their heads down appear to share this sentiment. The shapes of the characters and buildings are well pronounced and contribute to the overall effect of this piece.

In the Loge by Mary Cassatt is also an example of an impressionist painting. Like Paris Street; Rainy Day, it utilizes dark colors to bring the woman in the painting into focus. Cassatt uses a similar technique as Caillebotte by allowing the main character of the painting to remain in the forefront, while there are less important individuals with blurred faces in the background. In this manner, the artists are able to ensure that the focus of the viewer remains in the correct location.

A major difference between Caillebotte’s and Cassatt’s pieces is that Cassatt draws her characters with less distinct geometrical means, which allows them to take on a more realistic feel. However, the tone of both pieces are the same, as the colors and facial expressions collaborate to convey a sense of darkness or boredom. While the viewer expects the characters in Caillebotte’s piece to appear stoic as a consequence of the rain, the lack of facial expression on the main character’s face in Cassatt’s piece appears to be more meaningful. Since she is at a performance, one would expect her to be enjoying herself although this does not appear to be the case. In doing so, Cassatt creates a slightly darker sense regarding what is going on in the paintings and the woman’s feelings.

Works Cited

Caillebotte G. Paris Street; Rainy Day. 1877. Web. 2 February 2015.

Cassatt MS. In the Loge. 1878. Web. 2 February 2015.