The Wave

Many early Modernists were influenced by Japanese prints, and Courbet may have been one of the first to be affected by this Eastern aesthetic. Likely taking a cue from Japanese prints, he shows us a slice of water closed off from the view of the vast space around it. The painting epitomizes Courbet's landscapes and seascapes, which were always composed of patches of paint loaded heavily on both the dark and light areas. Such painterly treatment was an inspiration to the budding Impressionist movement.