Samuel Raybone is Lecturer in Art History at Aberystwyth University, UK.
This study reassesses Gustave Caillebotte's career in its entirety, bringing into play notably his intensive pursuit of philately and his ambitious garden designs. Hardly noticed in previous accounts, these two concerns are brilliantly anatomized and shown to be integral aspects of the artist's creative life. * Stephen Bann, Emeritus Professor of History of Art, University of Bristol, UK * Raybone's excellent, well-researched book on Gustave Caillebotte offers us gripping new readings of the artist's labour in its broadest sense, incorporating not only novel analyses of his art and material practice as a painter, but integrating this aspect of his life more effectively than ever before with his other `work'- as an art collector, pre-eminent philatelist, racing yacht designer and master-sailor, innovative gardener and orchid-breeder. Caillebotte emerges from Raybone's important, thought-provoking study as a more complex and complete personality, and in ways that simultaneously provide us with fresh insights into Impressionism and French society in the period. * Anthea Callen, Emeritus Professor, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia *