“Paris Street; Rainy Day” by Gustave Caillebotte exhibits the remarkable French artist's unique combination of Realism and Impressionist techniques. One of Caillebotte’s (1848 – 1894) best-known works, this piece reflects the mood of isolation and the effects of idleness upon a new, affluent urban economic class. An expressionless couple in the foreground ignore each other, the bleak gray and beige street is sparsely populated by people hunched under umbrellas, and expanses of open spaces intensify the lonely atmosphere. The daring composition of the work also demonstrates Caillebotte’s ability to translate photographic principles into painting.

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