Bildnis einer Dame c. 1855

"Bildnis einer Dame" is a c. 1855 oil-on-canvas portrait by French realist painter Gustave Courbet. The painting features a woman in a dark dress with a simple white collar, and a jeweled pin. She is adorned with a floral headband. Her expression appears to be reserved, yet her piercing gaze and the meticulous details of her attire hint at a confident and self-assured individual. Courbet's preference for depicting ordinary people in their natural surroundings aligns with the Realist movement's emphasis on depicting everyday life. This intimate portrait, while lacking in grandeur, conveys the individuality and strength of its subject.