Gustave Courbet

A Burial at Ornans is a renowned painting by Gustave Courbet, a notable work associated with the Realism art movement. Completed in 1849-1850, it depicts a funeral procession in the artist's hometown of Ornans, France. The painting showcases a realistic portrayal of mourners, emphasizing the ordinary people rather than idealized figures. Courbet's intention was to capture the essence of everyday life and convey the human experience in a direct and unadorned manner. A Burial at Ornans challenged the traditional conventions of grand historical or mythological subjects and instead celebrated the ordinary and mundane. The painting exemplifies the principles of Realism by focusing on the truthful representation of the contemporary world.