Portrait of Jules Vallès
1861
Meet Jules Vallès, looking rather serious in this 1861 portrait by his buddy Gustave Courbet. Courbet was the king of Realism, which meant he hated fake, pretty art and preferred to paint things exactly as they were—warts and all. You can see that gritty honesty in Vallès's intense stare and the bold, messy brushstrokes that make his dark coat and beard feel almost tangible. This wasn't just a portrait; it was a snapshot of a rebel who would later help lead the Paris Commune, signed boldly in red at the bottom.
- Technique
- Oil painting
- Material
- Canvas
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