Les Environs de Paris

Guillaumin’s painting of the Paris landscape depicts the modernisation of the city, reflecting the Impressionist’s interest in the modern urban landscape. Freshly planted trees line new roads, splashes of terracotta red on the roof of suburban villas and smoke in the distance could be from factories or trains; the sign of a developing city. Guillaumin used bright colours and broad brushstrokes in the painting which was seen as unrefined and unskilled to many in comparison to the traditional painting styles.

Guillaumin worked as a civil servant in the Highways Department and would only paint in his spare time. It wasn’t until 1892 that he won a large sum of money in the lottery which enabled him to stop working and dedicate his time to painting.