The Life and Identity of Gustave Courbet Jean Désiré Gustave Courbet was born on June 10, 1819, in Ornans, France. He was the eldest child and only son of Régis and Sylvie Oudot Courbet. Growing up in the department of Doubs, his early years were shaped by the landscape of his home. He lived through a period of significant social change in France, eventually becoming the leader of the Realism movement. His approach to painting was def…