La rencontre

"The Meeting" also known as "Bonjour, Monsieur Courbet" is an 1854 masterpiece by French artist Gustave Courbet. In this painting, Courbet portrays himself being warmly greeted by his patron, Alfred Bruyas, along with Bruyas’s servant Calas and a loyal dog, during a journey to Montpellier. The scene evokes the imagery of the Wandering Jew, a legendary figure condemned to wander the earth.

When Courbet first presented this work at the 1855 Exposition Universelle in Paris, it generated considerable controversy. Critics were harsh and even sarcastically dubbed it "Bonjour, Monsieur Courbet." Despite the initial backlash, Bruyas appreciated the painting but chose not to display it publicly until he generously donated it to the Musée Fabre in Montpellier in 1868.