COURBET, Gustave
1819-1877

Courbet was born into a family of rich vine-growers, his early years in Ornans gave him a life long devotion to the area, from which he drew much of his material. He was the most radical artist in the 1850's, whose work was shown at the Exposition universelle and in his individual exhibition in 1855. His challenge to the conventions of official, academic art was an inspiration to younger artists and Manet admired him profoundly. Although disillusioned by Courbet's conduct during and after the Commune of 1871, he contributed a lithographic portrait to d'Ideville's memorial biography of 1878.