Gustave Caillebotte

Gustave Caillebotte, heir to a textile fortune, earned a law degree before turning to painting. He also designed racing boats and was an avid gardener - a passion he shared with his friend, Monet. In spite of his great wealth, Caillebotte never put on airs. In fact, he was quite modest, putting others' concerns before his own. He never married. One day, at age 45, he suddenly took sick and died a few weeks later of something the doctors called "brain paralysis," a kind of stroke.