Gustave Courbet (1819-77) obsessively painted himself throughout his career and explored many psychological moods. The desperate Man, his painting he was especially proud of, brought it with him into political exile in Switzerland in 1873. It was painted while the artist was still in his twenties, during a stay in Paris in 1845, and is one of the most famous self-portraits of the 19th century.
In The Desperate Man the young Courbet stares manically out at us with his mouth open and his fingers tangled in his disheveled hair. It is a thoroughly Romantic picture of extreme emotion beyond all classical norms. The artist depicted – indicated by his rough and artisanal clothing – is here the Romantic social outsider breaching the modes of social decorum. If he confronts a mirror here we have several things to consider.
First is the portrayal of an intense and perhaps disturbing self-exploration by the artist (both artist in the picture and artist painting the picture). Secondly is perhaps the agony of the loss of the creative impulse or, alternatively, of the bringing forth of an artistic vision – the birth and completion of an artwork. If Courbet in the picture confronts us, the viewers, there is unsettling proximity between us, especially given his heightened emotional state.
It is as if his desperation is in danger of bleeding out of the picture and infecting the consciousness of the viewer. This is a new departure in the rendering of extreme emotion in Romanticism, which is supported by every aspect of the picture from the strained positions of the arms and the wide-eyed and appalled expression of the face, and the harsh lighting effects. The disorientation of the viewer is emphasized by the strain on the division between the picture and the artwork.
Gustave Courbet’s The Desperate Man is in a private collection.
Gustave Courbet
Gustave Courbet (1819-1877) was a French painter who is best known for his role in the Realist movement of the 19th century. He is often credited with being one of the most important figures in the development of modern art, and his work had a significant impact on later generations of artists.
Courbet was born in Ornans, France, and grew up in a family of prosperous landowners. He showed an early interest in art, and after completing his studies in Besançon, he moved to Paris to pursue a career as a painter.
In Paris, Courbet began to develop his distinctive style, which was characterized by its focus on everyday subjects and its rejection of the idealized, romanticized vision of the world that was prevalent in much of the art of the time. He believed that art should be honest and truthful, and he sought to capture the realities of life in his work.
One of Courbet’s most famous works is “The Stonebreakers,” a painting that depicts two laborers breaking stones on a road. The painting is notable for its gritty realism and its portrayal of the harsh realities of working-class life. Another notable work is “The Burial at Ornans,” a large-scale painting that depicts a funeral procession in Courbet’s hometown. The painting is notable for its monumental scale and its emphasis on the everyday lives of ordinary people.
Courbet’s work was controversial in its time, and he was often criticized for his rejection of traditional artistic conventions. He was also involved in politics, and he played a role in the Paris Commune of 1871, a brief period of socialist rule in the city.
Despite his controversial reputation, Courbet’s influence on modern art was significant. His focus on the realities of everyday life paved the way for later movements such as Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, and his emphasis on the materiality of paint helped to lay the groundwork for the development of abstract art.
Courbet’s personal life was also tumultuous. He was known for his many romantic liaisons, and he was involved in several scandals throughout his career. He also had a complicated relationship with the art establishment, and he was often at odds with critics and fellow artists.
In 1871, Courbet was implicated in the destruction of the Vendôme Column, a symbol of the French imperial regime. He was arrested and sentenced to six months in prison, and he was also ordered to pay the cost of the column’s restoration. The financial burden of this punishment proved to be too much for Courbet, and he was forced to flee to Switzerland to avoid bankruptcy.
Courbet died in exile in 1877, but his legacy as a painter and a revolutionary figure in the art world continues to be celebrated today. His rejection of traditional artistic conventions and his emphasis on the realities of everyday life helped to pave the way for the development of modern art, and his influence can be seen in the work of countless artists who followed in his footsteps.