Courbet, A Burial at Ornans, 1849-50

Courbet was born in Ornans and was the son of a farmer. As an adult he became one of the founders of the Realist movement, which soon replaced the Romantic phase of art. As a painter, Courbet believed in the significance of an ordinary life and ordinary people.

A Burial at Ornans (1849-1850) depicts his grandfather's funeral at Ornans. The scene provides a disorganized mass of mourners moving in opposing directions. It is a stark contrast to classical art, which contains a uniform flow that directs viewers' eyes to a specific point or region of the painting. Courbet confidently said, "The Burial at Ornans was in reality the burial of Romanticism."

One of the figures in the foreground wearing teal is a veteran of the 1793 war, slapping the aristocrats who refused to acknowledge the critical role of peasants in the military at that time. In addition, the painting undermines the church authorities (in red hats and overcoats) who have a dazed and almost drunken look to their faces. Truly, this painting entombs the Romantic movement through its massive (10' x 22') portrayal of the funeral of a nameless peasant, an insignificant event shown on such a large scale, and through its illustration of the subjects.