A Burial at Ornans

Creation Courbet likely drew inspiration from two different types of sources. One is seventeenth-century Dutch group portraits, such as Banquet of Captain Bicker (1648), Company of Captain Allaert Cloek (1632), or Meagre Company (1637). The other is woodcuts from the 1830s and 40s such as Souvenir Mortuaire (1830), featuring an elevated cross and a grave digger the left, and Degrés des Âges (1830), depicting individuals in a semicircle around a scene of death. While these all likely had an impact on the creation of the painting, Courbet scholar Gerstle Mack claims that the original inspiration for the painting most likely came from the funeral of Oudot, Courbet's grandfather, who had died a year before he created the painting. According to another theory, the painting is based on a funeral for a member of the Proudhon family; Courbet was close with Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, and some of the figures in Burial are said to resemble members of the family. Courbet made a sketch prior to the final work, and the people of Ornans posed as models. The crucifix held by the cross bearer looms above the figures in the painting. Courbet described the two figures standing with the white dog as "two old veterans of the Revolution of '93" who wear "the clothes of their time." The painting places the figures in a linear structure, arranging them alongside of each other. For this reason, some have described it as an additive mode of composition that focuses on the juxtaposition of figures. Others push back on this notion, claiming that the proximity of the figures along with their similar colors of costume unify them as though they are physically merged, not allowing the viewer's attention to rest on one person at a time. Each figure also appears to receive relatively equal emphasis, making the composition of the painting anti-hierarchical. Additionally, the linear nature of the painting suggests a lateral movement, which is reinforced by the final painting and the original sketch having unusual proportions, being much wider than tall. ==Analysis==

Interpretations By 1848, Courbet showed an interest in representing common people in a realistic manner. He expressed in letters his belief that his art was democratic. By depicting the townspeople of Ornans at a grand scale that was previously reserved for history paintings, Courbet declared the importance of ordinary, rural people to the Parisian public at the Salon. The provocative presentation of an ordinary subject in a large format has led many commentators to see the work as a political statement. The composition of the painting has provided further support for this political interpretation. The horizontal format, with all figures represented on roughly the same level, delivered a seemingly egalitarian and socialist message. Art historian T.J. Clark, however, has argued that the sociopolitical message of the painting is complex. Clark emphasizes the painting's stillness, ambiguity, and irony. At the time of the painting's creation, there was tension between peasants and the bourgeoisie, and though this painting may depict the rural bourgeoisie, it does not, according to Clark, take a stance on them. Clark instead claims that the painting simply represents rural French life, its structure, and permanence. Other commentators have rejected both politics and class as key to the painting's meaning. Some have simply interpreted it as Courbet's effort to depict an event that took place in his hometown. The art critic Champfleury wrote at the time, "there is not a trace of socialism in A Burial at Ornans ... Fortunately, M. Courbet has not tried to prove anything by his Burial. It represents death of a citizen who is escorted to his last resting place by other citizens ... It has pleased the painter to show us the domestic life of a small town ... As to the alleged ugliness of the townspeople, there is nothing exaggerated about it." Skull The skull and bones sit at the bottom of the painting between the veterans and the clergymen. Its placement between groups of two opposing ideologies is thought to potentially comment on "human aspirations and failures," showing the pointlessness of ideological contests, while also serving to emotionally move viewers. Crucifix The prominent position of the crucifix above all other figures is thought to symbolize the importance of Catholicism and traditional social values among the rural French population. At the same time, the inattentiveness of the church figures may serve as a witty commentary on the emptiness of the ritual they perform. Clark observes that there are all the elements of the burial ritual without their unison. Those attending the service are portrayed as indifferent to the presence of religion within the service, which may be interpreted as Courbet separating the two. Contemporary critics such as Proudhon also noticed this. He saw spirituality as being important in the death of a human, and he took the impious atmosphere of the scene to be a commentary on France losing its faith. Others, such as Hélène Toussaint, would later argue that the crucifix itself is a representation of hope that, after the 1848 Revolution, Christianity could be the basis for a rebuilding of French unity. This interpretation has often been disregarded due to the disconnect between those in the painting and the crucifix. The work was also criticized for its impious presentation of death. At the time, scenes of death and funerals often delivered a religious message. This was true of the woodcuts that influenced Courbet. For example, Degrés des Âges presents a scene of heaven and hell underneath an aging couple. Many paintings of the subject also represent funeral attendees as mourning or pious, with the clergy shown as devoted. Both of these elements are absent in Burial. Some viewers may have seen this fact as a rightful criticism of contemporary funeral rituals. In 1849, there was a cholera outbreak, during which the funeral industry was faulted for price gouging. Additionally, questions had grown about the presence of the church and its efficacy. Some commentators also saw the painting as a scandalous celebration of France's declining religious faith. While the painting was criticized for its ugliness and impiety, it was also praised for its realism and unprecedented representation of rural France. Impact Courbet is widely regarded as a leader of French Realism. Burial, as one of Courbet's most controversial works, helped bring Realism to the attention of the public. Additionally, some historians, such as Mack, believe that Courbet had an influence on the Impressionist movement. According to Mack, Courbet's works, and Burial in particular, allowed artists to explore new ways of painting and new subject matter. ==See also==