Ch.11 - The Revolution of 1848 and the Emergence of Realism in France Flashcards
A Burial at Ornans, 1849-50
Gustave Courbet
Jury of the Salon was suppressed in 1848, which meant the Salon was now totally public (which turned out to not be a good thing)
Courbet’s response for a call for Modern Realism by Baudelaire (Critic of the time). This period of France s
A middle-class burial in the French provinces/rural area
Seen as a non-trivial depiction of death; not ennobling or dramatizing it. It shows death as an unremarkable and recurrent event. Quite interesting.
This painting was confusing, and seemed insignificant for those in Paris at the Salon. Presented in the form of a historical event, but it wasn’t
The Stonebreakers, 1849-50
Gustave Courbet
Courbet’s art could be seen as truly egalitarian. It was seen as new “democratic art”.
Destroyed in WWII, this piece emphasizes poverty.
Phillippe’s government had led to a larger gap in inequality between the rich and poor.
People want to see happy Peasants, but that’s inaccurate.
Purposely shows faceless figures, symbolizing that they are nothing important or special. They are forgotten.
The Heavy Burden, 1850-53
Honore Daumier
Daumier remained interested in the urban working class, unlike Courbet and Millet.
Shows a laundress in the city, doing work that is known to be extremely difficult. Women would come to Paris and settle for this kind of work if they couldn’t find other jobs.
Once again shines a light on the essence of the woman’s tortured life.
What were some of the societal problems during this period?
Provisional government tried to create work, but too many people ended up coming to Paris, and were not able to be employed.
There was often fighting and rioting in the streets of Paris
Baudelaire published “On the Heroism of Modern Life”, which criticized the idea that historical and literary subjects were still relevant in modern day. He was calling for new Modern Realism.
