Les dormeuses gustave courbet biography

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Le Sommeil (translated in English variously as The Sleepers and Sleep) is an oil painting on canvas by French artist Gustave Courbet created in The painting, which depicts lesbianism, is also known as the Two Friends (Les Deux Amies) and Indolence and Lust (Paresse et Luxure).

History

Le Sommeil was originally commissioned by the Turkish diplomat and art collector of the lateOttoman era, Halil Şerif Paşa, who lived in Paris since The painting was not permitted to be shown publicly until , like a number of his other works such as L'Origine du monde.

When Le Sommeil was exhibited by a picture dealer in , it became the subject of a police report. One of the models for the painting was Joanna Hiffernan, who was the mistress of fellow painter James Abbott Whistler at the time.

Whist