Santa Monica College Art History Courbets the Stonebreakers Discussion

Q.1 Courbet’s The Stonebreakers: Short Answer Questions

Directions:

First, watch and read the content covering Realism and Courbet’s The Stonebreakers:

1. Introduction to Realism
2. Courbet, The Stonebreakers

Then,, answer the following short answer questions:

1. What are some differences between Realist and Romantic styles of painting?
2. How does Courbet demostrate Realist painting style and technique in his work “The Stonebreakers”
3. How are the protagonists in Courbet’s The Stonebreakers differet from the central characters in much of Renaissance, Baroque, and Neoclassical painting?

Q.2 Comparison Essay, Death: Courbet vs. El Greco

Directions:

First, watch the video covering Courbet’s The Burial of Ornans:

1. Courbet, The Burial at Ornans

Death has been a popular subject throughout the history of art, and represented in a myriad of ways. Courbet’s The Burial at Ornans was a new way to represent and old subject. Ornans was a rural city in southeastern France that was Courbet’s hometown.

El Greco was a Greek painter who worked in Spain during the 16th century. His painting, The Burial of Count Orgaz, represents a traditional burial scene. How has Courbet “flipped the script”? What is so revolutionary and different about the way death is represented in The Burial at Ornans ? Use the comparison images to write a 250-500 word essay that considers the following questions:

1. How is the experience of death represented differently in these two paintings?
2. How are the attendees of the funerals represented differently?
3. How is religion and spirituality represented differently in the paintings?

Q.3 Comparison Essay, The Nude: Manet vs Titian

Directions:

First, read and watch the text and vidoe covering Manet’s painting Olympia:

1. Manet, Olympia (text)
2. Manet, Olympia (video)

The nude is one of the most enduring subjects in the history of art. During the 19th century Realist movement in France, artists like Manet questioned the mythology surrounding the traditional representation of the nude. Manet used Titian’s Venus of Urbino as a template for his Olympia, but made significant changes in the way the nude is represented.

Using the comparison images, write a 250-500 word short essay comparing these two paintings that considers the following questions:

1. How are the bodies of the two women painted differently?
2. How is the attitude of the women represented differently?
3. How is the setting of the two works different?
4. How does the female nude interact with the viewer differently?