The Stone Breakers by Gustave Courbet represents the hardship that is placed on the people affected by industrialization. These two people are working tirelessly to build a road, which will be used for industry, trade, and movement of goods, which in effect makes goods more available and makes industry grow. In this work Courbet is showing the hardships of the laborers that work, and progress industrialization to make their living. Looking carefully at the two workers, one is young, and one is old. Courbet seems to be emphasizing the working ages of the time. This young boy is not in school and judging by his job is not wealthy; this is the lower class worker that is out working from young age to old to make ends meet and support his family.

The old man next to him is the same, working to support his family even though he is in his old age.(Gustave Courbet). The painting is very realistic in the sense that these workers are not rich, are not in leisure, they are just working. This painting offended many people of the time and got a bad image. People did not want to see the truth of industrialization, and the truth of the working class. They ridiculed the painting for being ugly by the colors used and the image that was portrayed of manual labor. The people thought it looked dirty and unappealing. Courbet introduced a new style of painting, the realist movement that depicted normal life for many people as it really was.(Gustave Courbet)