Gustave Courbet

Gustave Courbet (1819–1877) was a French painter and a leading figure of the Realist movement, celebrated for his bold rejection of academic art and idealized subjects. Known for works such as The Stone Breakers and A Burial at Ornans, he portrayed ordinary people and rural life with unflinching honesty, using vigorous brushwork and earthy palettes. Courbet also produced striking landscapes, seascapes, and nudes, challenging the artistic norms of his time and influencing the development of modern art. Born in Ornans, France, he studied in Paris but remained deeply connected to his hometown, often using its people and surroundings as subjects. Outspoken in both art and politics, Courbet was involved in the Paris Commune of 1871, which led to his imprisonment and later exile in Switzerland. He continued to paint until his death in 1877, leaving a legacy as one of art history’s most defiant innovators.