Describe the characteristics of the Composition in A Burial at Ornans's Background.
At the bottom center of the painting, there is an open grave with a skull and bones along its edge. Behind the grave stands a group of attendees, arranged loosely in three groups: church members, veterans with a dog, and other officials and mourners. The members of the church include a priest, a cross bearer, choir boys, and beadles. The crucifix held by the cross bearer looms above the figures in the painting. Courbet described the two figures standing with the white dog as "two old veterans of the Revolution of '93" who wear "the clothes of their time." The two figures have since been identified as Secrétan and Cardet, both friends of Courbet's grandfather. The figure among the crowd in the back on the far left of the painting has also been identified as Oudot, Courbet's grandfather.The painting places the figures in a linear structure, arranging them alongside of each other. For this reason, some have described it as an additive mode of composition that focuses on the juxtaposition of figures. Others push back on this notion, claiming that the proximity of the figures along with their similar colors of costume unify them as though they are physically merged, not allowing the viewers attention to rest on one person at a time. Each figure also appears to receive relatively equal emphasis, making the composition of the painting anti-hierarchical. Additionally, the linear nature of the painting suggests a lateral movement, which is reinforced by the final painting and the original sketch having unusual proportions, being much wider than tall.
beadles Revolution of '93 crucifix