
The Stream (Le Ruisseau du Puits-Noir; vallée de la Loue)
National Gallery of Art
c. 1855
Search results
15 works across 1 institution
Washington DC's National Gallery of Art holds 15 works by Gustave Courbet (1819–1877) — the city's entire known holding of this artist in a single institution.
Courbet founded the Realist movement, insisting on painting ordinary people and everyday life with the scale and gravity previously reserved for history painting. His large works — A Burial at Ornans, The Painter's Studio — caused scandal at the Paris Salon. He was exiled to Switzerland after participating in the Paris Commune of 1871.
Washington DC · 15 works on display
The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square houses one of the world's great collections of Western European painting, from the 13th to the 19th century, with particular strength in the Dutch Golden Age and Impressionism. Entry to the permanent collection is free.

National Gallery of Art
c. 1855





The Promenade
c. 1866
Image rights reserved

About the artist
French · Realism · 1819–1877
Courbet founded the Realist movement, insisting on painting ordinary people and everyday life with the scale and gravity previously reserved for history painting. His large works — A Burial at Ornans, The Painter's Studio — caused scandal at the Paris Salon. He was exiled to Switzerland after participating in the Paris Commune of 1871.
Key works
How many Gustave Courbet paintings are on display in Washington DC?
Our current data shows 15 Gustave Courbet paintings on display in Washington DC, spread across the National Gallery of Art. Coverage is based on Wikidata records and may not reflect every work currently on display.
Which museum in Washington DC has the most Gustave Courbet paintings?
National Gallery of Art holds all 15 known Gustave Courbet works in Washington DC.
Where else can I see Gustave Courbet's paintings?
Gustave Courbet's paintings are distributed across museums in multiple countries. Our artist page lists every city in our collection where their work is currently on display — use it to plan a multi-city trip or find works closer to home. Browse all cities for Gustave Courbet →
Washington DC's Smithsonian museums — including the National Gallery of Art, American Art Museum, and Hirshhorn — are all permanently free to enter. They're clustered along the National Mall and easily walked between. The National Gallery has two buildings connected by an underground passage; the East Building houses 20th-century art.
Artwork data sourced from Wikidata. Coverage varies — always confirm with the museum before visiting.