In the Forest 1865

Gustave Courbet created this oil on canvas painting, In the Forest, during the mid-19th century. Courbet’s work emerged during a time of massive social upheaval in France, and he set out to capture the stark realities of everyday life, often turning to nature. Courbet's decision to paint a landscape without a clear narrative is pretty radical. Landscapes had traditionally been the backdrop for historical or mythological scenes, but here, nature is the main event. The dark colors and dense brushstrokes evoke a sense of raw, untamed wilderness, a place removed from the societal issues. There's a tension in this work, too, between the beauty of the natural world and its potential indifference to human concerns. Courbet invites us to confront the sublime, to grapple with the awe-inspiring and sometimes unsettling power of nature. It reminds us of our small place within it.