Madame Auguste Cuoq (Mathilde Desportes, 1827–1910)
Gustave Courbet · 1852
Why it's great
A woman in a silky dark gown leans against a wall, her hands in her lap, with a steady and serious look. Courbet painted the portrait of Mathilde Desportes, a friend. The texture of the fabric shines. It's an elegant portrait by a painter who is better known for his rugged scenes.
Where to see it
📍 Metropolitan Museum of ArtNew York City, United States
Open in Maps ↗ About this museum →Hang it on your wall
Three places to look for a print of this painting, from budget to museum-grade:
These links open search results on each shop's own website; we don't sell anything or earn a commission, and print quality varies by seller. Ask a grown-up before you buy anything.
Gustave Courbet was born in Ornans, in eastern France, and moved to Paris to become an artist. He led the Realism movement, insisting on painting real people and real life instead of myths. He was outspoken and got into political trouble, and he fled to Switzerland in the end. He died there in 1877.
