Pre-Impressionism:

Gustave Courbet

1819 – 1877

General info:
Gustave Courbet was an important Realist and pre-impressionist.
He painted with Monet, Boudin and Jongkind.

Short biography:
1866/05/03: sells works for 150.000 franc (R5,p39).
1867 + 1869 he supports initiatives for an (independent) exhibition apart from the Salon.
1871/03/28: in the Paris Commune Courbet was responsible for the Fine Arts. He abolishes the Ecole des Beaux-Arts en the awards of the Paris Salon (R5,p69).
1871/05/16: Courbet had a leading role in the abolition of the column of Napoleon on the Place Vendôme (R5,p70).

Paul Robert: 1871, Sbl (Paul Robert), La Colonne Vendôme renversée, 100x140, MAHPE Saint-Denis (iR6;iR10;R9,p626) — Paul Robert: 1871, Sbl (Paul Robert), La Colonne Vendôme renversée, 100×140, MAHPE Saint-Denis (iR6;iR10;R9,p626)

June 1873: Courbet was released from imprisonment. Shortly afterwards he goes in exile in the Swiss (R5,p79)
1878: works of Courbet were shown at the Exposition Universelle.
1882: there was a posthumous retrospective held at the École Nationale des Beaux-Arts in Paris called ‘Exposition des oeuvres de Gustave Courbet’ (M1).
1889: works of Courbet were shown at the Centennial exhibition at the Exposition Universelle.
1900: works of Courbet were shown at the Centennial exhibition at the Exposition Universelle.
1914: works of Courbet were shown at a centennial exposition in Copenhagen (iR40).
1919/07/09: sale collection studio Gustave Courbet at the Georges Petit gallery (PDF catalogue: ia801000.us.archive.org; =iR19)

Gustave Courbet (1819-77): 1855, SDbl, CR165, The painter's studio (a real allegory defining a seven-year phase of my artistic life), 361x598, Orsay (iR2;iR1;R63,p34;R110,no165;R478,p432;M1) Expos: =EU-1855-R -> Pavillon du Réalisme (PdR-1855-1); =EU-Vienna-1873; sale HD1881/12/09-8. — Gustave Courbet (1819-77): 1855, SDbl, CR165, The painter’s studio (a real allegory defining a seven-year phase of my artistic life), 361×598, Orsay (iR2;iR1;R63,p34;R110,no165;R478,p432;M1) Expos: =EU-1855-R -> Pavillon du Réalisme (PdR-1855-1); =EU-Vienna-1873; sale HD1881/12/09-8.

Courbet and his Pavillon du Reálisme:
For the Exposition Universelle of 1855 Courbet admitted 15 paintings, 13 were excepted and were noted in the catalogue (iR1;R231), 2 large paintings were rejected. Courbet subsequently withdrew the 13 accepted paintings and showed these, the 2 rejected works and another 25 art-works in his own ‘Pavillon du Réalisme’ at the Avenue Montaigne. It became a financial faillure. In art-books there is a tendency of profiling him as being rejected by the conservative Jury, making Courbet a victime of the dominant powers of art (R177,p31). Some even suggest that all his works were rejected for the Exposition Universelle in 1855 (R172,p67). But when we look at the catalogue of the Exposition Universelle there were just 6 artists who showed more than 20 art-works, most artists showed just 1, 2, 3 at max 5 art-works. So, the 13 accepted paintings of Courbet were a large number. So, one could also interpreted it as a narcissistic affront of the too large ego of Courbet.
In 1867 Courbet again showed his own paintings in his own ‘Pavillon Courbet’ (or ‘du Réalisme’) near the ‘Exposition International Universelle’. It opened the 8th of April on the Place de l’Alma. Courbet received much publicity.
(R3,p60;R59,p142;R5,p43;R63,p116/7;R64,p116;M1)

Marcellin Desboutin: 1878, Portrait Gustave Courbet, etch ps, 16x12, Metropolitan (+FM Cambridge) (iR64;iR6;R85XIII,no118;aR10,no56;R158,no53;M23;M32) — Marcellin Desboutin: 1878, Portrait Gustave Courbet, etch ps, 16×12, Metropolitan (+FM Cambridge) (iR64;iR6;R85XIII,no118;aR10,no56;R158,no53;M23;M32)

Félix Bracquemond: 1869, B13, Baudelaire after Courbet, etch, xx, New York PL (iR10;iR61;R85III,no13) =??? 1IE-1874-24-11, Portrait de M Baudelaire

Courbet (Gustave; 1819-77): 1861, Portrait of Charles Suisse, 59x49, Metropolitan (iR10;M23) — Courbet (Gustave; 1819-77): 1861, Portrait of Charles Suisse, 59×49, Metropolitan (iR10;M23)

Pictures:

Gustave Courbet (1819-77): 1850, CR107, Peasants from Flagey (returning from the fair), 209x276, MBAA Besançon (Orsay) (iR6;iR23;iR40;M246;M1). Provenance: 1871-89 Durand-Ruel; Dreyfus gallery. Expos: S1850/51-662; EU-1855-3; EU-1867-4; ENSBA-1882-5; Copenhagen-XIX-1914-43. — Gustave Courbet (1819-77): 1850, CR107, Peasants from Flagey (returning from the fair), 209×276, MBAA Besançon (Orsay) (iR6;iR23;iR40;M246;M1). Provenance: 1871-89 Durand-Ruel; Dreyfus gallery. Expos: S1850/51-662; EU-1855-3; EU-1867-4; ENSBA-1882-5; Copenhagen-XIX-1914-43.

Gustave Courbet (1819-77): 1854, CR149, The meeting, 132x151, MF Montpellier (iR6;R231-1+2+9;M14) Expos: EU-1855-2803, La rencontre (à M. Bruyas), withdrawn -> Pavillon du Réalisme; EU-1900-C-143, Bonjour, Monsieur Courbet! (Musée de Montpellier) — Gustave Courbet (1819-77): 1854, CR149, The meeting, 132×151, MF Montpellier (iR6;R231-1+2+9;M14) Expos: EU-1855-2803, La rencontre (à M. Bruyas), withdrawn -> Pavillon du Réalisme; EU-1900-C-143, Bonjour, Monsieur Courbet! (Musée de Montpellier)

Gustave Courbet (1819-77): 1854, The wheat sifters, 131x167, MBA Nantes (iR6;M16) Expos: EU-1855-2804, withdrawn -> Pavillon du Réalisme; EU-1900-C-142, Les cribleuses de blé (Musée de Nantes; E.U.1855) — Gustave Courbet (1819-77): 1854, The wheat sifters, 131×167, MBA Nantes (iR6;M16) Expos: EU-1855-2804, withdrawn -> Pavillon du Réalisme; EU-1900-C-142, Les cribleuses de blé (Musée de Nantes; E.U.1855)

Gustave Courbet (1819-77): 1860, CR264, Fox caught in a trap, 82x101, NMWA Tokyo (iR6;iR1;R231-1;R110,no264;M127) Expos: =?? S1861-720, Le renard dans la neige; =EU-1900-C-146, Le Renard pris au piège (à M. Klotz). — Gustave Courbet (1819-77): 1860, CR264, Fox caught in a trap, 82×101, NMWA Tokyo (iR6;iR1;R231-1;R110,no264;M127) Expos: =?? S1861-720, Le renard dans la neige; =EU-1900-C-146, Le Renard pris au piège (à M. Klotz).

Gustave Courbet (1819-77): 1868, CR627, SDbr, Baigneuse à la source, 128x98, Orsay (M1;iR10;R231-1;R110,no627) Expos: EdBA-1882-19; EU-1900-C-148, La Source (1868) (à Mll. Courbet) — Gustave Courbet (1819-77): 1868, CR627, SDbr, Baigneuse à la source, 128×98, Orsay (M1;iR10;R231-1;R110,no627) Expos: EdBA-1882-19; EU-1900-C-148, La Source (1868) (à Mll. Courbet)

Gustave Courbet (1819-77): 1868, CR643, SDbr, Napping during the haying season, 249x310, PP Paris (iR6;iR10;iR1;R231-1;R110,no643;M4) Expos: S1869-572, La sieste, pendant la saison des foins; montagnes du Doubs; EU-1900-C-144, La Sieste (à la Ville de Paris) — Gustave Courbet (1819-77): 1868, CR643, SDbr, Napping during the haying season, 249×310, PP Paris (iR6;iR10;iR1;R231-1;R110,no643;M4) Expos: S1869-572, La sieste, pendant la saison des foins; montagnes du Doubs; EU-1900-C-144, La Sieste (à la Ville de Paris)

Gustave Courbet (1819-77): 1869, The Cliff at Etretat, after the storm, 133x162, Orsay (iR2;iR6;R110,p745;M1) Expos: S1870-67; ENSBA-1882-107. — Gustave Courbet (1819-77): 1869, The Cliff at Etretat, after the storm, 133×162, Orsay (iR2;iR6;R110,p745;M1) Expos: S1870-67; ENSBA-1882-107.

Courbet (1819-77): 1869, cpCR747, The Wave, 72x117, MuMa Le Havre (iR10;iR8;iR2;iR1;R231;R63,p113;M15) Compare: S1870-671, La mer orageuse; EU-1878-214, La Vague (S.1870; M.du Luxembourg); EdBA-1882-106; EU-1889-C-205, La Vague (1870) (à M. Otlét); EU-1900-C-149, La vague, (à M. Albert Cahen). — Courbet (1819-77): 1869, cpCR747, The Wave, 72×117, MuMa Le Havre (iR10;iR8;iR2;iR1;R231;R63,p113;M15) Compare: S1870-671, La mer orageuse; EU-1878-214, La Vague (S.1870; M.du Luxembourg); EdBA-1882-106; EU-1889-C-205, La Vague (1870) (à M. Otlét); EU-1900-C-149, La vague, (à M. Albert Cahen).

Gustave Courbet (1819-77): 1870, SDbl, CR747, La mer orageuse, 117x160, Orsay (M1;iR10;iR6;iR23;iR1;R110,no747;R231-1+2+5) Provenance: Carlin; sale HD1872/04/29-3 (17.000fr); Haro; 1878 bought by the State. Expos: S1870-671, La mer orageuse; EU-1878-214, La Vague (S.1870; M.du Luxembourg); Compare: EdBA-1882-106; EU-1889-C-205, La Vague (1870) (à M. Otlét); EU-1900-C-149, La vague, (à M. Albert Cahen). — Gustave Courbet (1819-77): 1870, SDbl, CR747, La mer orageuse, 117×160, Orsay (M1;iR10;iR6;iR23;iR1;R110,no747;R231-1+2+5) Provenance: Carlin; sale HD1872/04/29-3 (17.000fr); Haro; 1878 bought by the State. Expos: S1870-671, La mer orageuse; EU-1878-214, La Vague (S.1870; M.du Luxembourg); Compare: EdBA-1882-106; EU-1889-C-205, La Vague (1870) (à M. Otlét); EU-1900-C-149, La vague, (à M. Albert Cahen).

Additional references:

magrasku.de//courbet (page in German with info and several pictures on Courbet; =iR59)
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Sources:
My main sources are l’ABCdaire (1996=R63), Nochlin (2007=R171), Durbé (1969/1974=R295).
Other sources are: R16,p26-31.
And (indirectly) Fernier: La vie et l’oeuvre de Gustave Courbet; Catalogue Raisonné (1877/78=R110=CR).
See pictures at Musée d’Orsay (M1);

Recommanded citation: “Pre-Impressionism: Gustave Courbet (1819-73). Last modified 2025/06/30. https://www.impressionism.nl/courbet-1819-77/”

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