Jump to content

The Source of the Loue

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Source of the Loue
One of Courbet's series (99.7 x 142.2 cm, oil on canvas) in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
ArtistGustave Courbet
Year1863–64
MediumOil on canvas
LocationVarious

The Source of the Loue is the name of several mid-19th century paintings by French artist Gustave Courbet. Done in oil on canvas, the paintings depict the river Loue in eastern France.

Description

[edit]

An artist with naturalist and Realism proclivities, Gustave Courbet often painted the river Loue near Ornans, his hometown in eastern France. From 1863 to 1864, he painted a series of four paintings titled The Source of the Loue. The paintings depict rocky crags and grottos with the river flowing beneath them, a motif in keeping with Courbet's earlier works of Realism. All of the paintings showcase Courbet's skill in using a palette knife to apply pigment.[1]

At the time of their creation, the paintings (along with other works by Courbet) were not widely accepted in the art community as they were considered works of Realism, then a fringe artistic movement.[2]

Paintings

[edit]

Courbet's series is now split between the collection of several institutions. One painting is in the collection of the Walters Museum, one is in the collection of the Kunsthaus Zürich,[3] one is in the collection of the Kunsthalle Hamburg, and one is in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.[1]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "The Source of the Loue". www.metmuseum.org. Retrieved 2020-08-22. Some of the information provided by the source is provided via an audio file{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  2. ^ N.Y.), Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York (1987). Europe in the Age of Enlightenment and Revolution. Metropolitan Museum of Art. p. 17. ISBN 978-0-87099-451-7.
  3. ^ "Web Gallery of Art, searchable fine arts image database". www.wga.hu. Retrieved 2020-08-22.