''The Source'' is a 1862 oil painting done by Gustave Courbet, a French artist. The painting shows a nude woman standing outside in nature, in a body of water.

Description

''The Source'' is a oil painting of a nude woman standing in front of a stream of water. In the painting the woman is reaching into the stream while it is flowing unto her arms. The identity of the woman in the painting is unknown. There was some speculation on whether or not the woman had previously modeled for Courbet. Some say she modeled for Courbet twice, others say she only modeled for Courbet one time.

Inspiration

Many people believe that Courbet’s The Source painting was inspired by the 1856 oil painting, The Source. It was created by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres'. Both paintings show fully nude women and share similar nature scenes. Courbet’s painting has also been compared to The Moon and The Earth painting done by

Paul Gauguin Eugène Henri Paul Gauguin (, ; ; 7 June 1848 – 8 May 1903) was a French Post-Impressionist artist. Unappreciated until after his death, Gauguin is now recognized for his experimental use of colour and Synthetist style that were distinct fr ...

in 1893. Royal Cortissoz. "Gustave Courbet at the Museum." ''New York Tribune'' (April 6, 1919), p. 7 Courbet’s Painting is currently being held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Description

Inspiration

References

Further reading