Gustave Courbet (1819-1877) was known as the father of realism and is famous for his audacious works such as "L'Orgine du Monde".  The JSF were lucky to catch the first exposition in thirty years completely dedicated to the work of this great painter.  For Courbet, art was not only there to show the beautiful, but to show the reality including the life of peasants, and the working class.  To us, his painting of Mère Gergoire, does not look that revolutionary.  Our guide, Mathilde, explained that when it was painted in 1855, this work was scandalous.  The "tableau" depicts a working class woman, with a double chin, whose rosy cheeks indicated that she might have been drinking.  Another one of his works,Le Retour de Conférence, which depicted monks in much the same manner as theMère Grégoire, was bought by the Catholic church for an enormous price, and burnt.  Though today he is regarded as a great master, Courbet's life was marred by struggle.  His paintings were continuously refused by the salons and his opposition of the Franco-Prussian war (which culminated in the toppling of the Column Vendrôme)  landed him in prison.  Eventually, he fled to Switzerland where he died at the age of 58. (-Tess)

Le Grand Palais, site of the Courbet Exhibit.