The Bacchante

Courbet's The Bacchante of 1844 depicts a reclining female nude in a woodland setting, treating a conventional mythological subject with the directness of observation that would define his mature treatment of the nude. The painting belongs to his early output when classical subject matter still provided cover for nude painting; in his mature work he would depict the female body without mythological pretense, simply as a physical fact. The Bacchante demonstrates his developing mastery of flesh and the challenge of integrating the nude figure into landscape setting.

Courbet renders the female nude with the warm, golden flesh tones and lush brushwork derived from his study of Titian and Correggio. The intimate scale and sensuous modeling demonstrate his mastery of Old Master painting techniques.