The artwork titled “Calf, Head and Ox Tongue” is an oil on canvas painting created by the artist Gustave Caillebotte around 1882. This work falls within the Impressionism movement and is categorized as a still life. The piece is part of the collection at the Art Institute of Chicago, located in Chicago, IL, United States.
The artwork depicts the graphic and unembellished subject matter of butchered meat, specifically featuring the head of a calf and an ox tongue. Executed with a palette that emphasizes the naturalistic colors of the subject, the painting shows a stark contrast between the textures and tones of the flesh and the background. The calf’s head is turned to the side, exposing the interior structures and musculature, while the ox tongue dangles with a visceral sense of weight and materiality. The use of light and shadow grants the objects a three-dimensional quality and reflects the typical Impressionist focus on depicting the effects of light. The composition is both bold and straightforward, without any attempt to romanticize the subject, embodying a sense of realism that brings focus to the ordinary and often overlooked aspects of daily life. Caillebotte’s brushwork varies across the painting, ranging from detailed and refined in the portrayal of the meat to broader and more suggestive in the background, contributing to the painting’s dynamic and tactile presence.
