Horses in the Stable

Gustave Caillebotte executed this intimate stable scene around 1874, showing horses in their stalls. The work measures 33 by 46 centimeters, small compared to his famous urban scenes. It demonstrates his range beyond the Parisian street views for which he's best known.

Caillebotte was about twenty-six when he created this Impressionist study. He came from a wealthy family and could paint without financial pressure, which freed him to experiment. While his contemporaries focused on landscape and light, he often chose unusual perspectives and overlooked subjects.

Catalogued as number 18 in the Caillebotte catalogue raisonne from 1994, this early work predates his most celebrated paintings like "Paris Street; Rainy Day" and "The Floor Scrapers." It currently resides in a private collection.