The Stormy Sea 1869

Gustave Courbet's "The Stormy Sea" (1869) is a powerful depiction of a tumultuous seascape, emphasizing the raw and unidealized beauty of nature. The painting features a dramatic sky filled with imposing dark clouds contrasting with a choppy, emerald-green sea. Two small boats are grounded on the shore, adding a sense of vulnerability amidst the forceful waves. This work, now housed at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, exemplifies Courbet's Realist style and his rejection of idealized romanticism in favor of a direct, almost photographic observation of the world.