Work and Stability

        Throughout history, mankind has always divided into levels, classes or race. People who had a lot of power, were rich, respected by many and also influential, while other people who were poor, low stability in life and also hard working. In these following works of art we can see portrayed two work areas where the workers can be seen doing manual work. 

Gustave Courbet "The Stone Breakers" 1849

      Gustav Courbet, “Proudest and most arrogant man in France.” He exhibited a series of paintings (1850-51) at the Paris Salon. As the leader of Realists, Courbet portrayed scenes from daily life showing the hardship of lower class workers. His aims were to bring to realisation, that people were leading a very difficult life, while others had a lot of riches and comfort. This was ridiculed as large canvases at the time were preserved for paintings that were more iconic, heroic and holy. “Through his powerful Realism, Courbet became a pioneering figure in the history of modernism.” Although at the time, he was seen as a scandalous figure.

     He makes sure to show his concern for the poor. In “The Stone Breakers”, the two figures tower the whole painting, giving them full attention showing their everyday hard work and suffering. Their posture gives balance to the picture. The tallest man is on one knee breaking the stones while the younger one is shorter, but carrying what seems to be a heavy rock making an even distribution of the whole weight. Their clothes are all worn realistically. They work with heavy and rough material, which makes it easier for their clothes to be thorn here and there. Even the work atmosphere makes it harder for them as sunlight hits directly with a hat and the clothes as protection. As you may notice, their faces aren’t showing, meaning that he isn’t depicting just the two persons but two persons who represent many. He didn’t mean for the picture to be heroic but to be an accurate depiction of the abuse and deprivation that at the time was very common.

Pieter Bruegel "Wheat Harvest" 1565

     The brightness of both paintings is completely different. One is a very pale scenario that gives it a feel of exhaustion and the other is brighter with the emphasis on the scenario and the people that are resting, which gives it a more welcoming look. The level of detail is also different from one painting to the other. Therefore "The Stone Breakers" emphasises on the workers who are exhausted in the sun breaking and carrying heavy rocks which tears their clothes with it's roughness.

      We can see that the paintings both have a horizontal composition and they are tonally balanced. The upper side of both of them is a monochromatic background while the bottom side is full of green and yellow hues of nature. In "Wheat Harvest", the tree also gives a vertical balance to the scenario and giving more attention to the people under it. Both has a sense of stability and it is reflected mostly in "The Stone Breakers". Notice how the young man is lifting a huge rock and seems to be balancing well because his feet are apart giving him a wide base, appearing stable. They are both a good example of asymmetry but still gives a feeling of stability, balance both in hard work and also life.
     

      The Stonebreakers (destroyed) - Smarthistory. 2014. The Stonebreakers - Smarthistory. [ONLINE] Available at: http://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/the-stonebreakers.html. [Accessed 16 November 2014].

 Pieter Bruegel, Wheat Harvest, 1565. Oil on panel, 46-1/2 x 63-1/4 in. (118 x 160.7 cm). Metropolitan Museum, New York. Oil on panel, 46-1/2 x 63-1/4 in. (118 x 160.7 cm). [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.abbeville.com/interiors.asp?ISBN=1558596054&CaptionNumber=03. [Accessed 16 November 2014].