Courbet, koor BEH, Gustave (1819-1877), a French painter, helped found the Realist movement in art. When Courbet began his career, the dominant art styles in France were Neoclassicism and Romanticism. Neoclassical artists chiefly portrayed historical subjects in a classical style. Romantic artists stressed dramatic and exotic themes. Courbet believed art should show the people and events of the time realistically and honestly, without seeking to idealize or dramatize.