Jean Désiré Gustave Courbet (1819-1877) was a French painter, the founder and prominent figure of realism in France. He abandoned the sublime romantic scenes in favor of the truth of life, and tried to depict reality in a somewhat satirical way, with a slight irony.
After dinner in Ornans (1849)
However, at first, his art was not wanted to accept, Courbet criticized always - for example, when he dared to exhibit his painting “Bathers”, which depicted two burly French bathers, which in no way resembled the goddesses of unearthly beauty - and this is what the public and critics demanded from artists.
Bathers
Well, and let all such paintings in the style of academism little different from each other, but they are beautiful, do not violate any social norms of decency, it is pure art, which pleases the eye and does not raise any serious life themes, which later became so famous for our Wanderers.
But Courbet to write as everything was boring, the truth of life, he preferred the fictitious beauty and did not pay much attention to the attacks of critics, or rather, they could not force Courbet to change his manner of painting. Therefore, and depicted dirty feet at one of the peasant women. It is they and caused the greatest dissatisfaction of the public - how could you write such low things, which are full of and in ordinary life?
And this “disgusting vulgarity of forms”, as the wonderful French artist Eugène Delacroix, the artist of that very “Freedom Leading the People”, said about the painting.
Eugène Delacroix. Freedom leading the people
Courbet saw just such peasant women bathing, and their feet were dirty, and what else should they be, if the peasant women went barefoot. They were considered very beautiful and strong in their environment, and they must have been enviable brides, capable of hard physical work and bearing children.
The Stone Breakers (1849)
At that time, subtle, skinny girls were not considered the epitome of beauty among the common people, but rather gave reason to suspect any health problems, and it was more difficult for them to marry. So Courbet simply depicted ideal peasant girls, but this ideal was not at all connected with the idea of critics and the public about true beauty.
Self-Portrait with a Black Dog, 1842, Petit Palais
However, there were Courbet and other paintings, for exhibition to the public eye is not intended, and he wrote them exclusively for private order, because the public about them or did not know or treated calmly - “little if what crap Courbet wrote for the Turkish diplomat Halil Bey, for that he and nehristoy unbaptized, probably some lecher, will not be a good citizen to order such paintings.
The Sleep (1866)
Khalil Bey, who was a fine connoisseur of female beauty and a man of free views, commissioned Courbet for several paintings, including “Sleep”. It depicted two girls who were clearly not bored waiting for suitors - this is hinted at by the crumpled sheets and their free pose. However, the picture is painted in the style of academism, is distinguished by muted colors, excellent colorism, aesthetics and beauty there is in the first place, and the unconcealed sensuality of the girls only emphasizes their attractiveness.
The painter's atelier (1855)
The second painting commissioned by Courbet Khalil Bey is the famous “L'Origine du monde" (1866). Here everything is complicated and not so unambiguous, too thin line between allowed in art, real painting, where the creative vision of the artist superimposed on impeccable technique, true Titian's color, understanding of the task of painting as the most realistic representation of what the artist himself saw and outright epatage, just to make some money on it. For Courbet was more important painting, not eupatage, so this painting is now exhibited in the Paris Museum d'Orsay, that is, recognized as a real, albeit very peculiar work of art.
The origin of the world /L'Origine du monde/
However, a museum attendant is on duty next to it to avoid any misunderstandings. And this painting was presented to the public in 1988, and before that it had been in the hands of various private collectors for 120 years, only in 1981 this “indecent” canvas appeared in the Musée d'Orsay, and for seven years it was marinated in the vaults, not daring to present it to the public. And then everything depends on the perception of each person, his or her notions of what is permissible in art. I would like to know the opinion of readers - is it possible to exhibit such paintings in museums for public viewing or their destiny - private collections and storerooms? Send us your opinion in the comments.
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