The female figure is based on an 1854 photograph by J. V. de Villeneuve and has been interpreted as a representation of the art of the Academy or as Courbet's Muse for Realism.
The female figure, derived from a 1854 photograph by J. V. de Villeneuve, is understood to be an artistic expression of either the Academy's style or as a symbol of Courbet's approach to realism.