I've an idol

You know sometimes in life, you go around making people your idol, your admiration... some of them your friends, some of them your teachers, your colleague, your boss etc... People you can look up to and aspire to be like them.

For me, I've found an idol today, and nope, he is not someone I want to be. In fact, I am more than happy to live my life the way I want it and not change it to be someone else's life. But this guy, has shed some life on my being today. Funny, maybe that's the whole idea of art. To inspire others... and I was today.

Went to the L'exposition de Gustave Courbet. Well, what caught my attention was initially a poster advertising for the exhibition at the metro. though it cost me 8euros, and a 30-45min wait in the cold weather... it was all worth it. From zero knowledge about this guy, to having his art pieces mean something to me... I was really impressed. Too easily impressed you may judge.. but boy you have to see the real thing for yourself.

Next stop, the exhibition is heading to USA if I'm not wrong (next year) after which it will return to France (another city). Two art pieces which are my favourite... the powerful ones: L'homme blessé (the injured man) et Le Déséspére (the desperate).



L'homme blessé if I did not remember wrongly, was initially drawn as a man with a woman in his arms,sitting under a tree... with a smile on his face. But after a separation with his mistress (in real life), Courbet painted the man, in the same sitting position under the tree, removed the woman, added a gun, changed his outter coat, added a beard, and a wound on his chest (near the heart). Truly wounded.



And the other, shows a self portrait with emotions so strong, with eyes wide open looking straight into you..showing you his desperation as a young artist running out of inspiration and energy for everything else in life...

hmmm.. I was impressed and I doubt I will forget this visit to the museum...

Gustave Courbet(1819-1877).