Waterfall in the Jura 1876

This is Gustave Courbet’s oil on canvas painting *Waterfall in the Jura*. It depicts a natural scene, treated in a way that challenged the artistic norms of 19th-century France. Courbet was a staunch advocate for Realism, an artistic movement that sought to depict the world as it is, without idealization. This aesthetic was directly tied to the socio-political context of France following the 1848 revolution. Realist artists wanted to create a democratic art, rejecting the elitism of the Academy in favour of subjects from everyday life. Courbet's choice of a humble waterfall, painted with a seemingly unrefined, almost crude technique, embodies this revolutionary spirit. To understand Courbet's art fully, we need to look at exhibition records, critical reviews, and his own writings. By understanding the social and institutional context in which he worked, we appreciate how he challenged the established order.