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Gustave Cariot was born in 1872 in the Marais district of Paris; an area frequented by artists, artisans and merchants. His father was a luggage maker by trade and the young Gustave was expected to join him in the family business, however he had shown a natural artistic talent since childhood, producing fine sketches of Paris as well as the surrounding countryside.
Fascinated with the myriad effects of light, Cariot was greatly influenced by Monet’s haystack series from 1890-1891, as well as his views of Rouen Cathedral. There are also traces of both Divisionist and Pointillist technique in his work, yet he resisted total immersion in the Neo-Impressionist movement. His work is instead distinguished by a remarkably vivid pallet with rich impasto, which is meticulously applied leaving a marked dimensionality to each compositional element. The majority of his subjects are rural but they also include striking works of formal gardens, the rooftops of Paris and the Seine in all seasons, including the Pont-Neuf from numerous perspectives.
Fascinated with the myriad effects of light, Cariot was greatly influenced by Monet’s haystack series from 1890-1891, as well as his views of Rouen Cathedral. There are also traces of both Divisionist and Pointillist technique in his work, yet he resisted total immersion in the Neo-Impressionist movement. His work is instead distinguished by a remarkably vivid pallet with rich impasto, which is meticulously applied leaving a marked dimensionality to each compositional element. The majority of his subjects are rural but they also include striking works of formal gardens, the rooftops of Paris and the Seine in all seasons, including the Pont-Neuf from numerous perspectives.
