The Meeting (Bonjour, Monsieur Courbet)

The story

“The Meeting (Bonjour, Monsieur Courbet)” was painted in 1854. At that time Gustave Courbet went to Montpellier to visit his patron, the collector Alfred Bruyas.

In “The Meeting (Bonjour, Monsieur Courbet)” three men meet on a dusty road under the blue sky. On the left Bruyas raises his hat in greeting, and behind him his servant bows his head. On the right stands Courbet with a pack on his back, a stick in his hand and his beard proudly raised. Beside them is a small dog.

Gustave Courbet paints himself as a free traveller, equal to his rich friend. It is thought that he took the image from a popular print of the Wandering Jew. His shadow is sharp, and the light is bright, as on a real summer day.

The critics found the painting boastful and gave it the name “Bonjour, Monsieur Courbet!”. The same year he also painted a completely different scene – The Wheat Sifters.

Bruyas kept the painting at home for 14 years and in 1868 gave it to the museum. Today “The Meeting (Bonjour, Monsieur Courbet)” is in the Musée Fabre in Montpellier.