19.02.2026 – 21.06.2026
Courbet is considered the most important representative of realism, boldly disregarding the idealising conventions of 19th-century art. With his self-assured demeanour, emphasis on artistic autonomy, penchant for provocation and revolutionary painting style, he became a rebel of the art scene. The large-scale retrospective at the Leopold Museum is the first solo exhibition dedicated to Courbet in Austria, bringing together works from all phases of his career and offering a comprehensive overview of his paintings and graphic works. The show begins with Courbet’s early, iconic self-portraits and continues through his revolutionary paintings on themes such as social realism and artistic bohemianism to his sensually charged female nudes. Other focal points include the landscape paintings from his home region of Ornans, powerful depictions of the sea, and his time in exile in Switzerland.
GUSTAVE COURBET – Realist und Rebel
19.02.2026 – 21.06.2026
Leopold Museum
Museumquartier Wien
Museumplatz 1
1070 Vienna
www.leopoldmuseum.org
