Tribute to Gustave Courbet - 206 years old on June 10

Jean-Désiré Gustave Courbet was born on June 10, 1819 in Ornans, a small village in the Doubs region (Burgundy-Franche-Comté). He would have been 206 years old, so Museum TV pays tribute to him and looks back on his artistic career.
His wealthy family intended him to become a lawyer, which is why he arrived in Paris in 1839. Very quickly, the young Gustave decided to devote himself to his passion: painting. He continued his art until his death in 1877.

Before arriving in the capital, he had already received artistic instruction from Claude-Antoine Beau (1792-1861) and then from Charles-Antoine Flajoulot (1774-1840). In Paris, he admired and copied the works of the great Flemish, Spanish, and Italian masters at the Luxembourg Museum and the Louvre.

Launch of his Career 

In 1844, he was admitted to the Salon official and presented Self-Portrait with a Black Dog there. He gained a certain respect from the Salon of 1848 where he unveiled around ten paintings. With After-Dinner at Ornans, he received a medal in 1849. 

Courbet produced numerous self-portraits throughout his career. Here, he depicts himself with his youthful features, accompanied by his spaniel, Simone.

This work caused a scandal. The painter depicted a genre scene resembling a history painting. As with the Grand Genre, Courbet created a large canvas in which the figures were identified and identifiable. This reflected the political ideas of the painter, a proponent of the republican system. Every individual could be the subject of a history painting. The search for reality in this work translates into a scene experienced by the artist, non-idealized characters, in their daily lives.

The “Pavilion of Realism”  

Thus, Gustave Courbet was designated as the leader of Realism. At the 1855 World's Fair, the artist exhibited a few paintings but was unable to present The Painter's Studio because the dimensions of this work were too large. Gustave Courbet then created his “Pavilion of Realism”, a solo exhibition alongside the exhibition. 

The exceptionally large canvas is divided into three horizontal planes. On the left, individuals from the so-called "trivial" world, namely the common people, depicted as a hunter, a priest, a merchant, or a beggar, for example. These figures are arranged in a sort of jumble, while the individuals on the right are in a more orderly composition. On the right, figures from high society or the artistic world, such as the patron Alfred Bruyas, the critic Champfleury, the philosopher Proudhon, or the painter Baudelaire. Courbet positions himself and his status as a painter at the center of the composition, acting as an interface between these two worlds. The artist is accompanied by a muse, his work materials, a child, and a dog.

A Burial at Ornans is also featured in the Pavillon du Réalisme. During its restoration, which was open to the public at the Musée d'Orsay, the many modifications were revealed. This work depicts a funeral in which the deceased remains anonymous. The painter managed to obtain burial clothes from the priest and even obtained permission for the clergyman to pose for his work. 

Some notable works 

This painting, commissioned by the Turkish-Egyptian diplomat Khalil Bey (1831-1879), depicts a close-up of a female genitalia. The model raises questions. Some claim that she is the commissioner's mistress, Constance Quéniaux. Others suggest that she is Johanna Hifferman, the painter's mistress. According to some studies, The Origin of the World is merely a fragment of the original painting, in which the woman's face was visible to all. 

Landscapes are an integral part of Courbet's work. He enjoyed depicting his native countryside, particularly springs and waterfalls, rocks, and hunting and animals. Here, he depicts a huge oak tree in honor of his childhood home. The title also conveys a political dimension, contrasting Vercingetorix, democracy, and Julius Caesar with imperialism. He criticized the regime of Napoleon III.

Gustave Courbet joined the Paris Commune. It wasn't until 1871 that he was accused of participating in the destruction of the Vendôme Column. He was then imprisoned. He was tried a second time in 1873 and sentenced to pay a fine, for which he lacked the funds. He went into exile in Switzerland and died in illness and poverty in 1877, having been at the height of his fame seven years earlier. Despite the conditions in prison, he still produced some works, mostly still lifes. This painting has a personal evocative value. The fish is depicted as sick, struggling to stay alive in an environment that is not his own. This refers to Courbet's imprisonment and his state of health.

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