“Cab Station, Rue Bonaparte” is an oil painting on canvas, created in 1887 by the artist Childe Hassam. This work of art, classified under the Impressionism movement and genre painting, currently resides within a private collection.
The artwork presents a detailed depiction of an urban scene on Rue Bonaparte, characterized by a row of horse-drawn carriages standing in a seemingly endless line along the left side of the road. The imagery captures a crisp, wet atmosphere, likely after a rain shower, as evidenced by the shiny, reflective wet pavement. Walls adorned with posters and faded advertisements provide a rich textural backdrop. This setting is further enlivened by figures dressed in period attire; two individuals are seen in conversation on the left, while on the right, an older man pushes a cart alongside a young girl. The composition gracefully fades into the background with bare trees lining the distant sky and softly lit buildings, suggesting a dreary, overcast day. Childe Hassam’s use of light and color harmoniously encapsulates a moment from 19th-century Paris, evoking a sense of the daily life and mood of the time.
