Gustave Courbet arrived in Paris aged 20 in the autumn of 1839 and became one of the most radical artists of the nineteenth century. He persevered however, following Salon rejections and after the 1848 revolution, he painted a number of controversial pictures of ordinary life, notably his huge image of the people entitled Burial at Ornans.
Like his contemporary Millet, he became known for his portrayals of rural working people, his overt political message exemplified by The Stonebreakers. A further substantial image was The Artist's Studio featuring important writer Baudelaire, but like Burial at Ornans, it too was rejected by the 1855 Exposition Universelle. At the Salon in the 1860s, 'immoral' nudes led to both praise and denigration by critics. Courbet then seized the chance to indulge his revolutionary spirit in the Paris Commune of 1871, but its overthrow led to prison, illness and exile for the great artist.
Courbet was strongly admired by many painters, not just for his portrayals of modern life, but also the way he challenged the Paris Salon, paving the way for Manet and the Impressionists. He declared 'When I am no longer controversial I will no longer be important'.
Please note that the time of the class for week 2 differs from the other meeting times. Please see programme details below.