Gustave Courbet (1819–1877) is considered to have introduced the practice of socially engaged painting, and he is viewed as one of the most important repre­sentatives of Realism.

The direct and honest depic­tions of this artistic tendency—which ascribed to representing things as they are—challenged the ide­alized subject matter of academic painting and scan­dalized the Parisian society of the nineteenth century. Courbet became a leading figure of the rebellious ar­tistic bohème and cultivated a lively exchange with the predominant poets and artists of his era. Howev­er, he was not merely an anti-establishment provoca­teur; he significantly revolutionized landscape paint­ing.

With seven essays this volume offers an introduc­tion to selected aspects of the artist’s life and work. His paintings will also inspire even those who may not be well versed in the world of art. Courbet’s in­credibly rich oeuvre and his exciting biography make him an artist worth discovering, again and again.