Qatar Revealed as Owner of Renowned Courbet Self-Portrait

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Qatar Museums unveils ownership of Gustave Courbet’s iconic “The Desperate Man,” set to rotate between Paris and Doha

Qatar has officially revealed itself as the owner of the famed self-portrait by French realist Gustave Courbet, known as Le Désespéré (The Desperate Man). The painting, dating from about 1843–1845, depicts Courbet with a dramatic, anguished gaze and has long been celebrated as one of his most emotionally intense works. 

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Under a loan agreement with Paris’s Musée d’Orsay, the painting will be displayed there for five years before ultimately moving to its long-term base in Doha. 

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In announcing the acquisition, Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani of Qatar Museums said the work is destined for the future Art Mill Museum and will alternate between Paris and Doha, bridging two major art capitals.

Previously, Le Désespéré had been on loan from an anonymous private collector and had not been exhibited in France since Courbet retrospectives in 2007–2008. Its return to display at Musée d’Orsay marks a major cultural moment, while establishing Qatar’s growing influence in the international art world.