The Floor Scrapers - Caillebotte

The painting "The Floor Scrapers" (in French, Les raboteurs de parquet) by Gustave Caillebotte, painted in 1875, depicts an everyday scene with an almost photographic level of detail that challenges the conventions of Impressionism with which it is associated, a movement Gustave joined after facing numerous criticisms for the shirtless torsos of the workers and the subject matter of the painting in question. The French artist, although aligned with this Impressionist movement, stands out for his more realistic, precise, almost photographic approach, especially in the angles of observation, in contrast to the loose brushwork of other Impressionists like Monet and closer to Edgar Degas in terms of angles.

In this work, the treatment of light and textures reflects a deep observation of reality, combined with a modern sensitivity towards the work of some artisans, which were rarely represented in the art of the time. The choice of this subject, perhaps about the last workers in Paris who still knew this trade in those years, marks a break with the traditional themes of landscapes and bourgeois scenes typical of earlier art. Through a slightly elevated point of view, Caillebotte endows the scene with an unusual monumentality for such a simple subject. Thus, one can appreciate how the painter combines Impressionist innovations with a respect for realism, making him a singular figure within the movement.