From February 19 to June 21, 2026, the Leopold Museum in Vienna will host Gustave Courbet. Realist and Rebel, the first monographic exhibition devoted to Courbet in Austria.
Gustave Courbet is considered one of the leading exponents of realism, a movement that challenged the idealized conventions of 19th-century art. A pioneer of a painting attentive to social issues, he was also notable for his active political engagement after the end of the French Empire in 1870, participating in the Paris Commune of 1871. In portraits, landscapes and still lifes, the artist rendered a tranquil and contemplative universe, in apparent contrast to the profound political and industrial transformations of his era. His strong personality, defense of art’s independence, penchant for provocation, and innovative pictorial language established him as a rebellious figure in the artistic scene of the time.
The extensive retrospective, hosted by the Leopold Museum, will bring together works from all phases of his production, offering a comprehensive view of his painting and graphic work. The exhibition will start with the famous youthful self-portraits, and then develop through the more innovative paintings related to social realism and bohemian life, to the famous female nudes of intense sensuality. Special attention will also be paid to landscapes inspired by the surroundings of his hometown of Ornans, seascapes and works created during his period of exile in Switzerland.
Pictured: Leopold Museum, exterior. Photo by Alexander Eugen Koller
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| Vienna, at the Leopold Museum the first monographic exhibition dedicated to Gustave Courbet in Austria |
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