Paris museum welcomes Courbet’s 'The Desperate Man' for five years

French painter Gustave Courbet's oil-on-canvas "Self Portrait", also known as "The Desperate Man" (1843-1845) exhibited at the Musee d'Orsay in Paris, on 13 October, 2025. © AFP - Ian Langsdon

This week, the Musée d'Orsay in Paris will unveil The Desperate Man, the renowned self-portrait by French painter Gustave Courbet, marking its first display in France in nearly twenty years. The painting has been loaned to the museum for a minimum of five years by Qatar Museums.

The Musée d'Orsay in Paris, which owns around 30 Courbet paintings, unveiled the exhibit The Desperate Man on Tuesday.