Erotic Letters of Gustave Courbet Unearthed After 135 Years
A trove of explicit 19th-century correspondence between the painter and a Parisian socialite was discovered in a Besançon library, offering new insights into his life and psyche.
- A hundred letters exchanged between Gustave Courbet and Mathilde Carly de Svazzema, dated 1872-1873, were found in a library attic in Besançon, France.
- The correspondence, featuring explicit language and intimate drawings, sheds light on Courbet's personal struggles and his modern views on relationships.
- The letters had been kept secret for over a century due to their explicit nature, with instructions to remain unpublished until their recent rediscovery.
- Courbet, known for his provocative painting 'L’Origine du Monde,' wrote these letters during a tumultuous period marked by political fallout from his role in the Paris Commune.
- An exhibition titled 'Courbet, the Hidden Letters: The Story of a Rediscovered Treasure' will showcase the letters from March to September 2025 in Besançon.
Le Nouvel Obs 
Le Figaro 