Fighting Stags in a Forest 1834 - 1877

Gustave Courbet made this painting of fighting stags in a forest. The painting reflects a broader cultural fascination with nature and wilderness. Courbet was a key figure in the Realist movement in France and, in many ways, he also helped define it. Courbet challenged the academic art of his time, which prioritized historical, mythological, and allegorical scenes as superior forms of artistic expression. Instead, he turned to ordinary subjects. This painting, though depicting animals in a forest, reflects that commitment to realism, presenting nature as raw and unfiltered. To understand Courbet, we need to consider the rise of Realism as a reaction against Romanticism and the social and political upheavals of 19th-century France. Art historians often consult period writings, exhibition reviews, and political documents to better understand Courbet’s revolutionary impact on the art world. It is through these avenues that we see his subjects being ordinary and yet groundbreaking.