Leopold Museum retrospective reveals Gustave Courbet's multifaceted legacy as French realist pioneer

The Leopold Museum in Vienna is presenting a significant retrospective dedicated to Gustave Courbet, a pivotal artist from mid-19th century France. The exhibition begins with self-portraits from the 1840s and highlights "Nach dem Abendessen in Ornans" (1849), which earned Courbet a gold medal at the Paris Salon. It also showcases the lost piece "Die Steinklopfer" (c. 1849) and provocative works such as "L'Origine du monde" (1866), commissioned by Khalil Bey. Courbet's landscapes of the Jura mountains from the 1860s demonstrate his regional pride. The retrospective wraps up with his imprisonment following the Paris Commune in 1871 and his subsequent death in Swiss exile in 1877. Titled "Gustave Courbet: Realist und Rebell," the exhibition is noteworthy. In other news, Lubin Baugin's "Nature morte aux financiers" sold for €440,000 on August 16, 2025, while a benefit auction on November 15 will include Peter Halley's "Dada Ji," anticipated to reach at least €140,000. Additionally, a rare 1941 Hasselblad HK 7 camera was sold for €32,000 on September 13.