Young Ladies of the Village
Gustave Courbet · 1851
Why it's great
Three women in fine dresses walk down a country lane, as a cow and a girl stand by. Courbet painted his sisters as the village ladies, giving alms to a peasant girl. The picture was criticized for showing ordinary folks as large as life. It's a landmark of Realism.
Where to see it
📍 Metropolitan Museum of ArtNew York City, United States
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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.
