Amid the background of social turbulence in the mid-nineteenth century, Courbet`s unconventional paintings of real people in everyday scenes came to embody values with radical political implications. James Rubin addresses the entire range of Courbet`s work, his hunting scenes, spirited landscapes, portraits and erotic nudes. He combines a clear reading of the paintings with a discussion of the unique personal, political and social framework within which they were created.
