REALISM
Realism was a European art style that developed in the 1840’s. Realism was largely based off of rejecting traditional forms of art, literature, and social organization. This genre of art grew largely popular in the midst of the industrial revolution. With realism, painters attempted to portray the real life moments had by the peasants and middle class. Those real life moments included their lives, their problems, and their customs. Realism is often very explicit and can lead to some crude depictions and depictions. It was a very controversial genre as if often criticized the ways of the upper class. Realism is arguably called the beginning of modern art due to its combination of modern life and art. Some notable Realism artists are Gustave Courbet, Jean-François Millet, and Édouard Manet. Gustave Courbet is widely considered to be the leader of the Realism art movement. Courbet was an exceptional artist who rejected the previous art form of Romanticism. He is known for his nudes, still lifes, hunting scenes, and landscapes. One of his most famous works Burial at Ornans depicts an actual burial as a part of Realism characteristics and emphasizes the temporal nature of life. Gustave Courbet served as an example for many art genres to come such as Impressionism and Cubism.