Realism
“Realism is an artistic approach which describes subjects in a straightforward manner while
avoiding idealization and formal artistic theories. “
Its place in history
Realism is recognized as the first modern movement in art, which rejected traditional forms of
art, literature, and social organization as outmoded in the wake of the Enlightenment and the
Industrial Revolution. Beginning in France in the 1840s, Realism revolutionized painting,
expanding conceptions of what constituted art. Working in a chaotic era marked by revolution
and widespread social change, Realist painters replaced the idealistic images and literary
conceits of traditional art with real-life events, giving the margins of society similar weight to
grand history paintings and allegories.
The famous artists

GUSTAVE COURBET (A Burial At Ornans (1850)) “To make a living art…that is my
goal”
Lifespan: June 10, 1819 – December 31, 1877
Gustave Courbet was a controversial French painter, who bridged the gap between Romanticism
and the Impressionist school of painters. He was controversial not only because he addressed
social issues with his work, such as peasants and the working condition of the poor, and the rural
bourgeoisie, but also because of the unsentimental way in which he portrayed them.

EDWARD HOPPER (Nighthawks (1942))
Lifespan: July 22, 1882 – May 15, 1967
Hopper’s individuals, usually showed isolated and disconnected from their environments,
revealed the loneliness of modern life. Suggest the psychological states of his subjects.

ROSA BONHEUR (The Horse Fair (1855) )
Lifespan: March 16, 1822 – May 25, 1899
Born in a rich family, Rosa Bonheur first displayed her art at a salon in Paris at age 19 and she
was soon recognized as an important painter. Her popularity in France declined around the center
of her life but her works were greatly admired in England and America. Bonheur is best known
for her painting of animals which she created after extensive scientific study of animal anatomy.
Unlike the Romantic school of painters, Courbet did not use smooth lines and soft forms.
Instead, he employed spontaneous brush strokes and a roughness of paint texture, which
indicated that he was observing his subject directly from life, and thus challenging the academic
ideas of the way art should be painted. Because of his development of a realistic form of
painting, Courbet was a celebrity, and considered a genius, socialist, and savage. He also
encouraged the perception of himself as an unschooled peasant.
Description
The painting was produced during Courbet's involvement with Realism in art in the mid-1800s.
Due to the short amount of time Courbet had to paint it, many original plans for the work had to
be discarded. The most noticeable example of this is in the background of the painting. On the
back wall of the studio in the painting, Courbet planned to paint replications of other works of
his. He ran out of time to paint these in their entirety, so he then covered them up with a reddishbrown preparation color, leaving the partially-finished paintings still relatively visible.[3]
Left side
The left side of the painting depicts people of everyday life in France. The Jewish man and the
Irishwoman were seen on a trip Courbet took to London in 1848, according to a letter Courbet
wrote to Champfleury detailing what the painting would look like.[5] There is also a "lay
figure"/"crucified figure" directly to the left of Courbet's easel. This figure appears contorted and
potentially mangled. Art historians Benedict Nicolson and Georges Riat both interpret this figure
as a symbol of the "death" of the art of the Royal Academy of Art in France.[6][7]
Center
The center of the painting depicts Courbet painting a landscape, a nude female figure, a young
boy, and a white cat. On his canvas, Courbet paints the Loue River valley. This valley in
the Franche-Comté region of France is a tribute to Courbet's homeland of Ornans, France.[8] The
female figure is based on an 1854 photograph by J. V. de Villeneuve and has been interpreted as
a representation of the art of the Academy or as Courbet's Muse for Realism.[9]
Right side
The right side of the painting depicts a large number of Paris elites, including friends of the
artist. These are figures who played a role in the development of Courbet's career as an artist, or
who inspired him in some way.