Madame Helleu aboard the yacht ‘Bird’ 

Paul César Helleu painted this image of his wife aboard a yacht. She’s holding an umbrella to protect herself from the sun. The Impressionists, working in France in the late 19th century, were interested in depicting modern life, but what did that actually mean? For many of these painters, it involved exploring the leisure activities of the upper classes, which were newly accessible because of industrialization and the expansion of trade. What’s striking about Helleu’s painting is its emphasis on the trappings of wealth. The yacht itself, the fashionable clothing of Madame Helleu, and even the umbrella that shields her from the sun, all speak to a culture of conspicuous consumption. To understand this painting better, we might look at fashion magazines or social histories of the period. It gives us great insight into the social and cultural values of the time.