Woman with a Parrot

'Woman with a Parrot', or 'La Femme au perroquet', is a powerful example of mid-19th century Realism from renowned French artist Gustave Courbet. This scene, baptized as a nude painting (nu), exhibits Courbet's technical prowess painter by capturing the intricate details of the human form and pet bird. The piece is an oil painting recorded on a canvas, a popular combination in that era. Noteworthy for its acceptance by the Paris Salon in 1866, 'Woman with a Parrot' is acknowledged as Courbet's first respectable nude. This painting now graces the collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.