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I discovered the work of Gustave Courbet in an Art History course in college, but didn't really begin to fully appreciate his work until I had visitied the Gare d'Orsay Museum in Paris where one work in particular caught my eye. The painting in question is a huge one, taking up a large space on a wall, titled "Burial at Ornans". It was interesting in that it depicted fairly detailed portraits in the funeral procession of a number of people Courbet knew. But what really intrigued me were the high white cliffs in the background. Then and there I decided I wanted to visit the village of Ornans. I didn't know at that time that Gustave Courbet was born in Ornans, and was also buried there. I don't know if he knew when he did that painting that he too would one day be buried not far from those white cliffs in the cemetery at Ornans. It took me a while, but in September, 1991 I finally got to Ornans, and had a lovely visit there, I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys tracking down lesser known cultural sites in France. The entire valley of the Loue River is beautiful, Courbet also painted "The Source of the Loue" and other nature scenes in that area. And this is his tomb, a simple, rustic stone. . .
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