The Realist School, founded by Gustave Courbet, was known for its focus on depicting real-life scenes and ordinary people, often from the lower social classes. Courbet rejected the idealized and romantic subjects that had dominated art in the past, and instead sought to portray the world as it truly was, without idealization or embellishment. His paintings often depicted scenes from everyday life, such as peasants working in the fields, women doing housework, or people simply relaxing and enjoying themselves.