This photo does not begin to do justice to the really interesting work of Gustave Courbet. I am not sure that I can say I am a huge fan, but Pat and I enjoyed a wonderful afternoon in the Grand Palais exploring a very well organized (chronological) exhibit of this privileged youth's work through his political realization and finally imprisonment for speaking out.
Pat's french teacher told us about the exhibit, so for Pat, it was a homework assignment. We had planned to go, though we had some friends in town who were going to see something else and we were going to meet for dinner later. When we arrived at the Grand Palais, the line for entry said 1.5 hours without reservations. We looked at each other and said we would go another time, but then I realized maybe our Amis des Louvre card would get us into the short line. It worked and Pat was delighted. Then we stood in line to check our coats and I was run over by a pack of very short elderly women who in true french fashion couldn't figure out the concept of a line. The woman behind the counter watched in sympathy and we laughed about it when I finally gave up our coats.
With our English speaking headsets we set off through the exhibit hall and emerged about two hours later. It was really worth a look, and some of it was even too racy for the french (so they put the pictures behind a black curtain and peep holes to warn of the content). The young boys were lined up pointing and chuckling. I really appreciated the earlier work that always contained a kind of political irony and a lack of respect for the institutions that were so sacred at the time.
