Portrait of Eugène Lamy

Portrait of Eugène Lamy (1889) depicts one of Caillebotte's close friends in the late Parisian phase of his career, when he had moved from the Haussmann streetscapes of his major period to a quieter life at Petit-Gennevilliers. Lamy appears in at least two Caillebotte portraits from around this time, suggesting an ongoing relationship. By 1889 Caillebotte had largely withdrawn from active exhibition but continued to paint, focusing on landscapes, river subjects, and occasional portraits of friends and family.

Caillebotte's portrait technique in this period reflects the softer, more conventionally Impressionist handling he developed after his early radical works. The palette is likely warm and restrained, with careful attention to the sitter's physiognomy and expression. The handling is more relaxed than the precise, almost photographic quality of his major 1870s work.