Why it matters
Courbet painted a close-up view of the abdomen and vulva of a naked woman lying on a bed. Its title means 'The Origin of the World'.
Did you know?
- It was painted in 1866.
- Art historians long speculated that the model was Joanna Hiffernan, Whistler's lover.
- Others suggest the brunette model of Courbet's Le Sommeil instead.
Based on the Wikipedia article L'Origine du monde (CC BY-SA 4.0).
