Gustave Caillebotte's Paris Street: Rainy Day

Gustave Caillebotte address at least three senses in his painting, Paris Street; Rainy Day. There are obvious visual cues. Everyone carries shiny umbrellas. On a rainy day, when theirs barely enough sun to cast shadows. One might expect to be gray. This is what you get here. Grey predominates. Buildings, streets, umbrellas, even the people’s dress is grey shading into black. The only exceptions are the flesh tones of the hands and faces and the reds and greens of the building on the right, and even these are muted, less brilliant than it would appear on a rainy day. People must be a little chilly, they are bundled up in coats. The man in left center is walking briskly and hunkering down under his umbrella. As if he wants to get there rather