AI, Impressionism, and the Fleeting Now

Who has heard of Gustave Caillebotte? Among my family members who grew up in the Chicago area, his most famous painting — Paris Street; Rainy Day — is widely beloved. This is solely due to its prominent placement in the Art Institute of Chicago, where it marks the entrance of the Impressionist wing. My family has many memories of walking up the white marble stairs to see it atop in all its enormity: seven feet high and nine feet wide. But that’s all they knew about Caillebotte — and that was more than I could say. I, who grew up in the distant lands of Madison, Wisconsin, had no special childhood memories of this painting. When I was invited to visit the special Caillebotte exhibition with my family, I said yes, but only as an excuse to take a weekend excursion during the dog days of summer. I tried to tell my husband why I was going away for the weekend, but I couldn’t even keep the man’s name straight in my head. I read it but it disappeared immediately, as if it had been whispered on the phone in a loud bar. What was that? Caillebotte. I can’t hear you! Caillebotte. I’ll have to call you back later!