The artwork “Woman with White Stockings” by Gustave Courbet was completed in 1861, during a period known for its embrace of Realism. This oil on canvas masterpiece belongs to the genre of nude painting (nu) and exemplifies the realist movement’s dedication to depicting subjects with truth and accuracy, without idealization. The artwork can be viewed at the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia, PA, United States.
The painting portrays a woman in a state of repose, lying against a dark, earthy background that denotes a natural setting. She is depicted with a relaxed posture, her body positioned diagonally across the canvas. The woman’s upper body leans against what appears to be a rock or mound, while her limbs are less formally arranged, with one arm raised to her forehead, possibly shielding her eyes or wiping her brow. One striking feature of the artwork is the contrast between the natural tones of the background and the woman’s pale skin, accentuated by the luminous white stockings that climb up her legs, ending above her knees. The stockings, paired with red slippers, add a vibrant splash of color to the composition, drawing the viewer’s attention to her lower half. Her body is rendered with a sense of weight and volume, eschewing the idealized forms often associated with the female figure in art.
Courbet’s brushwork is evident in the textured variations on the surface of the canvas, contributing to the overall sense of realism and tangible presence of the figure within the space. The muted palette, primarily composed of earthy browns, greens, and the pale tones of the woman’s flesh, is punctuated by carefully considered highlights such as the red of her shoes and the white of her garments. In the artwork, Courbet presents a candid and tactile representation of the human form, an approach that was both revolutionary for its time and emblematic of the Realist movement’s enduring legacy.
