Digital Collection
The Wave, Gustave Courbet
Gustave Courbet
The Wave
DE
Back to top

Gustave Courbet

The Wave, 1869

Dimensions
65.6 x 92.4 cm
Physical Description
Oil on canvas
Inventory Number
1433
Acquisition
Acquired in 1908, property of Städelscher Museums-Verein e.V.
Status
On display, 1st upper level, Modern Art, room 4

Texts

About the Work

A thundering wave rolls directly towards the viewer, threatening to carry him off into the turbulent sea. Courbet painted this natural spectacle during stormy weather on the coast of Normandy some sixty times. Executed between 1865 and 1870, the series already sparked the attention of his contemporaries. In addition to the delicate palette, they were fascinated above all by the symbolic import of the wave paintings. Nature unleashed is not only a metaphor for the struggle of life. For Courbet, the wave signified violence and destruction, but also creation and renewal.

Work Data

Basic Information

Title
The Wave
Painter
Production Place
Period Produced
School
Object Type
Physical Description
Oil on canvas
Material
Technique
Label at the Time of Manufacture
Signiert unten links: G. Courbet.

Property and Acquisition

Institution
Administration
Collection
Creditline
Städel Museum, Frankfurt am Main, Eigentum des Städelschen Museums-Vereins e.V.
Picture Copyright
Public Domain
Acquisition
Acquired in 1908, property of Städelscher Museums-Verein e.V.

Work Content

Motifs and References

Genre
Main Motif

Iconclass

Primary
Secondary
  • 26A4 low clouds and those originating from rising air currents

Research and Discussion

Conservation and Restoration

Art-technology findings and/or documentation regarding conservation and restoration are available for this work. If interested, please contact .

Similar works

  • All
  • Motif
  • Picture Elements
  • Association
  • Atmosphere
  • Emotion
Show connecting keywords Hide connecting keywords

Tap on any work to display common keywords.

Hover over a work to display connecting keywords.

More to discover

Albums

Contact

Do you have any suggestions, questions or information about this work?

Permalink

Last update

15.05.2023