Calf, Head and Ox Tongue

Calf, Head and Ox Tongue (c. 1882) is a still life by the French painter Gustave Caillebotte (1848–1894), held by the Art Institute of Chicago. Unlike the urban scenes for which Caillebotte is best known, the painting turns to the butcher's table, rendering a calf's head and an ox tongue in a manner that is more realistic than the work of many of his Impressionist colleagues ^[1][5]. The work entered the museum's collection in 1999 through the Major Acquisitions Centennial Endowment ^[5].

The artist: patron and painter of the Impressionists

Caillebotte was a member and patron of the Impressionists, though he painted in a more realistic manner than many others in the group ^[1]. Because of his family's wealth, he supported many of his fellow Impressionists, and upon his death his bequeathed collection of their works became the central collection of Impressionism for the French Republic, despite considerable controversy ^[1]. His best-known work, Paris Street; Rainy Day, was acquired by the Art Institute of Chicago in 1964, and his work drew more attention in the 1970s ^[1]. Although long regarded for his philanthropy, Caillebotte did not receive an international retrospective until 1994, a century after his death ^[1]. He was also known for an early interest in photography as an art form ^[1].

Provenance: from the artist's studio to Chicago

The museum records the painting's ownership chain from the artist's death to its acquisition. It passed by descent to the artist's family in 1894, and was sold to the Art Institute of Chicago through Galerie Cazeau-Béraudière, Paris, in 1999 ^[5]. The painting is currently on view in Gallery 201 of the Art Institute ^[5].

Exhibitions: a century of display

The work has been exhibited internationally since the year of Caillebotte's death. It appeared in the retrospective exhibition of his works at Durand-Ruel in Paris in June 1894, and a century later in the major retrospective Gustave Caillebotte, 1848–1894 at the Galeries Nationales du Grand Palais in Paris (1994–1995), which traveled to the Art Institute of Chicago as Gustave Caillebotte: Urban Impressionist (1995) and to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (1995) ^[5]. More recent showings include The Impressionists: Master Paintings from the Art Institute of Chicago at the Kimbell Museum of Art in Fort Worth, Texas (2008); Gustave Caillebotte: Ein Impressionist und die Fotografie at the Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt (2012–2013) and the Gemeentemuseum den Haag in The Hague (2013); and Gustave Caillebotte: The Painter's Eye at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. (2015) and the Kimbell Art Museum (2015–2016) ^[5].

Technique and materials: oil on canvas

The painting is executed in oil on canvas, measuring 73 × 54 cm (29 × 21 in.), with a framed size of 87.7 × 69.3 × 7.7 cm ^[5]. The catalogue entry for the work confirms the same dimensions and date of 1882 ^[3]. The still life genre allowed Caillebotte to apply his characteristically precise, realistic manner to a domestic subject, a departure from the street scenes and figures with which he is most associated ^[1][5].

Frequently asked questions

When was Calf, Head and Ox Tongue painted?

The Art Institute of Chicago dates the work to c. 1882, and the reference catalogue records its inception as 1882 ^[3][5].

Where is the painting today?

The painting is in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it is currently on view in Gallery 201 ^[5]. It was acquired in 1999 through the Major Acquisitions Centennial Endowment ^[5].

How does this work relate to Caillebotte's better-known paintings?

Caillebotte is best known for urban scenes such as Paris Street; Rainy Day, and he painted in a more realistic manner than many other Impressionists ^[1]. Calf, Head and Ox Tongue is a still life, a genre that allowed him to apply that same realistic approach to a domestic subject rather than a city scene ^[1][5].

What is the provenance of the painting?

According to the museum record, the painting passed from the artist (who died in 1894) by descent to his family in 1894, and was sold to the Art Institute of Chicago through Galerie Cazeau-Béraudière, Paris, in 1999 ^[5].