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Established in 2008

Sunday, February 10, 2013

The face of "The Origin of the World" may have been found



In exhibition at the Musée D'Orsay, Gustave Courbet's oil painting "L'Origine du Monde" (The Origin of the World) has become famous from the start. Not only because of its subject, but also because of being a witness of the artist's skills in terms of realism  and for the curiosity that has triggered about who the model might have been.

Now, based on the opinion of experts, the French magazine Paris Match, claims the world exclusive of having tracked down the top part of the painting.
Known to the magazine as "John," the owner of the painting informed that he bought it in 2010 for €1400, from a Parisian antiques dealer.

Until now, the Musée D'Orsay has assumed a contrary position to suggestions that there were any missing parts to Courbet's painting. A position that differs from the opinion of Jean-Jacques Fernier, who believes that the recently discovered painting of a woman's head, was cut off the L'Origine du Monde.



Should experts arrive to a consensus that the painting does belong to the Courbet's work hanging at the museum, we will have to wait and see if le D'Orsay shows interest in displaying it and how it will do it.
The owner of the painting has already stated that he would  be most pleased to lend it.

Photo by Philippe Petit, Paris Match

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