Author Description

An artist assessed as much by his personality as by his work, French painter and writer Gustave Courbet's renown centers on his paintings of peasants and labourers of the mid-nineteenth century and his presentation of himself as a passionate social commentator. Motivated by strong political views, Courbet's art formed a paradigm of Realism: a consciously democratic attempt to objectively represent contemporary life. This in-depth Grove Art Essentials title explores the life and work of the ground-breaking artist, from his training and early politicized works through an analysis of Courbet's writings, critical reception, and posthumous reputation.