Gustave Courbet
Courbet was a scandalmonger. His images of unidealized nude women incurred public indignation and eventually led to scandal. On the other hand, his images of clothed women, with their expression of his splendid sense of realism, received wide acclaim. This work was painted in 1869, when Courbet was socially accepted and came to maturity. A young Roma with luxuriant hair falling around her shoulders stands in deep reflection. The close-up view of the woman's torso provides an excellent example of Courbet's superb sense of sensuality, however we can also find a quiet poetry in this work. Courbet struck an aggressive posture in the face of power throughout his life, and was quite self-revealing. Courbet's sentiments are apparent in this image of a Roma lost in thought.
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