Artist: Gustave Courbet
Title: Stonebreakers
Year: 1849(the painting was destroyed during the Second World War.)
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions:165cm X 257cm
How does the work fit into the Realism?
“Stonebreakers” is a work of realism which is a movement originated at the mid 19th century in France. In visual art, it is a style that depicts the actuality of what our eyes can see without idealization.
Therefore, artists in realism always focus on showing the reality of the subject matter without beautification, or describe the real material rather than the abstract symbols. For example, they usually use some natural views, current issues ,social policy or daily life of the people as the themes of their art work.
As the result, the art work must be specific, natural, accurate, detailed description and without modification.
In “Stonebreakers”, it shows the characteristics of Realism.
In “Stonebreakers”, it shows the characteristics of Realism.
Firstly, the painting reflects a social policy of the lower class in the mid 19 century. During this time, there was an industrial revolution that advanced many establishments of factories. It did not only cause the antagonism between employers and employees, also increase the emphasis on the tragic and poor life of the workers and their working environment. Therefore, Courbet painted the work of stonebreakers to show the real, rigid and tragic life of the lower class at that time.
Secondly, the painting does not contain any idealization or beautification. For example, the colors are gloomy and the working condition of workers is dirty. It is quite different from the style of Baroque or Rococo which used many bright colors or special lace to make the art work become dynamic and beautiful. In “Stonebreakers”, Courbet only wanted to express the real life of the stonebreakers that is rigid, boring and low quality.
A description of the work:
In the painting, we can see there are a young man and an old man using the simple hammer, shovel and wooden crate to break the rock. The ragged clothing of the workers, including many holes, that shows starkly the hard life of the worker at that time.
On the other hands, Courbet only painted the back and the side of the workers, and hided their face. It represents that the workers do not have enough self-confident to look up, they just feel helpless and humble because they lack the right and subjectivity.
Apart from this,we can see there are some pots and spoons scattered next to the stonebreakers, which means their eating time or break is really short and urgent. They cannot have a good rest at home because of the long working hours.
Under the painting,we can realize the social problem and social movement at that time:the lower class was oppressed by the middle class.The lower class work hard in their whole life,but the profit and money only centralized in the middle class.For the middle class,the lower class just a tool helping them to earn money,they never consider their human right,contribution even their life.According to this unfair social phenomenon,Courbet showed it on "Stonebreaker".For example,he used the pots and spoons to express the explotitation from middle class that the lower class did not have any rest for having a good lunch.Also,the facial expression of the stonebreaker expressed that they were living in hard and painstaking,no entertainment,no happiness,only works.That maked them without any emotion or feeling when there was no hope in the future.
Apart from this,we can see there are some pots and spoons scattered next to the stonebreakers, which means their eating time or break is really short and urgent. They cannot have a good rest at home because of the long working hours.
Under the painting,we can realize the social problem and social movement at that time:the lower class was oppressed by the middle class.The lower class work hard in their whole life,but the profit and money only centralized in the middle class.For the middle class,the lower class just a tool helping them to earn money,they never consider their human right,contribution even their life.According to this unfair social phenomenon,Courbet showed it on "Stonebreaker".For example,he used the pots and spoons to express the explotitation from middle class that the lower class did not have any rest for having a good lunch.Also,the facial expression of the stonebreaker expressed that they were living in hard and painstaking,no entertainment,no happiness,only works.That maked them without any emotion or feeling when there was no hope in the future.
So,we can see there is a big darkness for the lower class.And the influence of class stuggle was deep and far at that time.The work of art in Realism always as a historian to record the historical movement and the social problem in different period.We can not be denied that Realism still has its influence nowadays.
"When discussing The Stonebreakers, Clark emphasises the material labour that has gone into it in order to evoke the material weight of things the picture is about.The image of a young man and an old man shown in a 'frozen movement' and 'turned away from the spectator' was about 'labour gone to waste ,and men turned stiff and wooden by routine'.(Clark,1973,pp.80-1)
Key quotes:
Why this work interests me?
Firstly, I think it is difficult to draw an object or a scene in reality. When I saw some paintings of Realism, I was attracted by their detailed and accurate. It seems to record a historical event or a brief moment using the camera. Especially some landscapes and narrative painting, the daylight of the view may change quickly or the people in the street will move frequently. So, I am interested to choose this “Stonebreakers” of Realism for study.
Secondly,I think this type of painting is easy for audience to understand what’s going on in the picture or what message does the artist want to express. For example, in “Stonebreaker”, although you have not seen its background information or explanation, you can guess that the picture is going to tell you how poor the worker is or how difficult the life of the workers is. Compare to the abstractionism or Fauvism, I think it is simple for me or for everyone to understand in direct way.
Question:
In your opinion, what is the difference between painting of realism and the photography? Do we need to sketch nowadays when the camera appear? Why?
References:
Secondly,I think this type of painting is easy for audience to understand what’s going on in the picture or what message does the artist want to express. For example, in “Stonebreaker”, although you have not seen its background information or explanation, you can guess that the picture is going to tell you how poor the worker is or how difficult the life of the workers is. Compare to the abstractionism or Fauvism, I think it is simple for me or for everyone to understand in direct way.
Question:
In your opinion, what is the difference between painting of realism and the photography? Do we need to sketch nowadays when the camera appear? Why?
References:
Books:
l Laurie Schneider-Adams,Art Across Time,Vol 2,2nd edition(Boston:McGraw Hill College,2002),p.777-783(Nineteenth-Century Realism until to Gustave Courbet)
l Hatt and Klonk, Art History,chap7
l Ramplay, ed, Exploring Visual Culture,p.117-132
Websites:
Hi Connie,
ReplyDeleteYou have explained how the work fit into Realism. I think you can expend the description part, and look for the particular formal qualities that relate the work to that period as well as the social background.
Queenie
thanks for your comment, Queenie!
ReplyDeleteI have modified my blog again already.If you have time please be so kind as to view it and provide me another advice again,thankyou so much!