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Realism strives to portray subjects naturally, without idealism or excessive emotion. It was in many ways a reaction against Romanticism and Neoclassicism. Realists tend to discard theatrical drama, lofty subjects and classical forms in favor of commonplace themes. Gustave Courbet is credited with coining the term, which often refers to the artistic movement, sometimes called naturalism, which began in the 1850s in France. Among the important realist painters are: Camille Corot, Jean-Francois Millet, Thomas Eakins and Ilya Repin.   continue on wikipedia »