Gustave Corubet, the Stone Breakers

Gustave Courbet’s painting, The Stone Breakers of 1849 is a great example of a Realist painting in the 19th century. Courbet uses pale dark colors, rough paint, jagged lines, and detailed form, to convey a sense of gloom and weariness, therefore representing the harsh realities of impoverished workers during industrialization.

In the foreground of his painting, Courbet depicts two peasant workers in rural France breaking stone for roadbeds in the midst of industrialization in the 19th century. One of the workers is very young, while the other is very old and they both are wearing tattered and ripped clothing. The young boy is carrying a heavy basket, while the older man is kneeling as he bends at his back to crush rock with a mallet. The pale hues of yellow, brown and green bring about the dreary feeling of this monotonous and wearying labor. The artist shows a notable amount of detail in this painting, which assists in making the scene seem more realistic; signifying the actuality of this situation. The rough paint, along with jagged and irregular lines suggests a feeling of discomfort and strain. Courbet’s use of a large 5 x 8 foot canvas, which were mainly used for heroic themes, further accentuates the intentions of this painting- to call attention and suggest these average peasants were considered heroes in some way.

This painting represents a Realist work because Courbet uses this piece as a way to bring attention to the stark social realities of industrialization. During the late nineteenth century in France society was changing, and “as the rural poor moved to cities to find work in factories, mines, and mechanical manufacturing, industrialists and entrepreneurs enjoyed new levels of wealth and prosperity in this system, but conditions for workers- many of them women and children- were often abysmal” (Stokestad & Cothren 964). The Stone Breakers demonstrates Courbet’s criticism of the circumstances industrialization