Artwork
Cliffs on the Sea Coast: Small Beach, Sunrise (Falaise au bord de la mer, vu Petite Plage, soleil levant)
Cliffs on the Sea Coast: Small Beach, Sunrise (Falaise au bord de la mer, vu Petite Plage, soleil levant) is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Gustave Courbet. It dates from 1865 and is held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.
About this work
Overview
Cliffs on the Sea Coast: Small Beach, Sunrise is a 1865 oil on canvas painting by Gustave Courbet, a prominent figure in 19th-century French Realism.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a rugged coastline at sunrise, with a rocky cliff and small beach below, emphasizing the tangible reality of the scene over artistic convention.
Technique & Style
Courbet used thick, impasto paint to capture the texture of the stone, creating a tactile effect and visible brushmarks that convey the raw, unidealized natural scene.
History & Provenance
The painting was created on the coast of northern France, likely in a single session, reflecting Courbet's commitment to direct observation and painting only what he could see.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jean Désiré Gustave Courbet (UK: KOOR-bay; US: koor-BAY; French: ; 10 June 1819 – 31 December 1877) was a French painter who led the Realism movement in 19th-century French painting.
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Cliffs on the Sea Coast: Small Beach, Sunrise (Falaise au bord de la mer, vu Petite Plage, soleil levant)