5.4.2 Realist Painters

Rosa Bonheur 1822-99
French

  • First successful painter of working class subjects
  • Paintings of rural life
  • Studied animal anatomy — visited butcher houses
  • Wore men’s clothing — better to work in
  • Popular Work — Plowing in the Nivernais: The Dressing of the Vines

Gustave Courbet 1819-77
French

  • Portrayed the working class with outright truthfulness
  • Lack of idealism
  • Popular work – A Burial at Ornans

Edouard Manet 1832-83
French
Popular work 1 — Olympia
Popular work 2 — Luncheon on the Grass

Winslow Homer 1836-1910
American

  • An illustrator for Harper’s Weekly
  • Illustrations from the Civil War
  • His Civil War works avoided brutality and violence, and showed mundane, everyday depictions
  • Popular work — Prisoners from the Front

Thomas Eakins 1844-1916
American

  • Interest in human anatomy
  • Called himself a scientific realist
  • His realism was generally considered too harsh during his lifetime
  • Popular Work — The Swimming Hole

Jennie Augusta Brownscombe 1850-1936
Made a living teaching and selling paintings for cards and calendars
Depicted a charming country life
Popular Work — Love’s Young Dream

Pre-Raphaelites
Dante Gabriel Rossetti
Adolphe William Bouguerau
Sir Edward Burne-Jones
John William Waterhouse

Video lecture on Millais Ophelia

[5.4.3 Continue on to learn more about Impressionistic Painters]

3 Responses to “5.4.2 Realist Painters”

  1. Kara Lewis writes:

    Hello!

    I’m an elementary school art teacher and came across your web page (https://oer.uaf.edu/learn/AMTF200-v1/2009/495/) when looking for some links on famous artists to share with my students. I really enjoyed reading through all the information and links that you have on your page. One resource in particular about Winslow Homer, (https://www.sonofthesouth.net/Winslow_Homer.htm), was very helpful for me.

    I came across another resourceful page (https://www.usa-people-search.com/content-winslow-homer-an-american-artist-resource-page.aspx), which I thought you might like to add as an additional resource on Winslow Homer.

    Best,
    Kara Lewis

  2. Romantic Artists | ART/MUS/THR F200 writes:

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  3. 5.4- Visual Arts in the Romantic Era | ART/MUS/THR F200 writes:

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