Portrait Eugène Lamy
Gustave Caillebotte·1888
Historical Context
Portrait Eugène Lamy (1888) is the earlier of at least two portraits Caillebotte painted of his friend Lamy, painted the year before the 1889 version. Lamy belonged to the circle of friends Caillebotte maintained as he shifted from active participation in the Paris art world to a quieter life on the Seine. The existence of multiple portraits of the same sitter suggests a warmth and informality in their relationship — these are records of friendship documented through the painter's continuing practice.
Technical Analysis
The 1888 portrait likely shows Caillebotte at a moment of stylistic evolution, moving from the tight, almost photographic realism of his major early works toward a warmer, more conventionally Impressionist approach. Careful facial observation remains central, but the handling of surrounding elements is probably more freely applied than in his rigorous early period.
