Le Sommeil

Date: 1866
Medium: oil on canvas
Location: Musee de la Ville de Paris, Musee du Petit-Palais, France

"Le Sommeil" is an oil painting by French painter Gustave Courbet from 1866. This work is known for its bold and provocative subject matter, depicting naked women at rest. Although Courbet created the painting, other artists such as Édouard Manet and James McNeill Whistler are known to have contributed.

The painting "Le Sommeil" depicts two naked women in an intimate embrace on a bed. The composition is intimate and emphasizes the physical beauty of both characters. Courbet uses mostly dark colors, which creates an intense atmosphere. Dark tones contribute to the sensual and mysterious impression of the image. The artist uses strong and visible brush strokes, which is a characteristic feature of his style. This roughness in texture adds an impression of authenticity and expressiveness.

Courbet realistically depicts the physical beauty of women without idealization. Their naked bodies are depicted without taste or propriety, which was controversial at the time. The painting "Le Sommeil" caused significant controversy due to its bold depiction of nude women and the subject matter of an erotic object. It was rejected at several shows and sparked heated debates.

Courbet painted picture Le Sommeil in 1866. Prevailing color of this fine art print is vivid and its shape is landscape. This art piece is located in Musee de la Ville de Paris, Musee du Petit-Palais, France. This image is printed on demand - you can choose material, size and finishing.

Gustave Courbet (1819 - 1877). French painter regarded as a leading figure of French realism of the 19th century. In 1839, he went to study law in Paris, but instead devoted himself to painting (he copied works by Spanish, Venetian and Dutch masters). His first success was in the Salon in 1849, when he received the gold medal for his painting Afternoon in Ornans. Courbet was inspired by Dutch masters ( Rembrandt, Hals and others). His influence was also Giorgione and Tizian. In the beginning, he pursued the track of austere rules tied to academicism that, for his open-minded nature, was too strict. He therefore painted according to the romanticists (Delacroix and Géricault). With the painting Funeral in Ornans, in which he captured his grandfather’s funeral, he distanced himself from romanticism and has since been considered a painter of realism.