Gustave Courbet

Hardcover | 25.5 x 31 cm | 131 pp

Hatje Cantz | 2014 | 9783906053196

The life and work of Gustave Courbet (1819–1877) were defined by his rejection of the academic painting tradition and conservative politics in France. His work marks the beginning of a development that continues to shape our understanding of art today.

His famous work, L’origine du monde (The Origin of the World, 1866), is the focus of this opulent volume, and it is framed by no less spectacular self-portraits, depictions of women, land­scapes, seascapes, and winter images dating from later in his career. Examining the broad spectrum of Courbet’s oeuvre, the publication includes the most recent research on the artist’s strategy of ambiguity and his revolutionary use of colour.

This beautifully produced book accompanied the exhibition Gustave Courbet at Foundation Beyler, Basel in 2014