"One of Gustave Courbet's best-known early paintings, Le Désespéré (1843-45), has been acquired by Qatar Museums from a French collector without an application for an export licence, the Musée d'Orsay revealed in October at an invitation-only VIP event at the museum. The disclosure was contained in an announcement that the museum would be exhibiting the work, lent by its new owners, for a five-year term."
"According to , Qatar Museums, the institution officially responsible for Qatar's burgeoning cultural sector, bought the painting for €50m in 2014. Christine Martin-Veillet, a friend of the seller, Monique Cugnier-Cusenier, who died earlier this year, said that the latter "expected that the painting would remain in France". Le Monde also reported that the new owners only told the French government of their acquisition in 2024, a decade after they had bought it."
Gustave Courbet's Le Déesespéré (1843-45) was acquired by Qatar Museums from a French collector without an export licence application. The Musée d'Orsay announced a five-year loan in October. The painting has not been publicly shown since retrospectives between 2007 and 2011. Qatar Museums reportedly paid €50m in 2014. A friend of the late seller said the seller expected it to remain in France. French authorities were reportedly informed only in 2024. The loan was announced at an event honoring Musée d'Orsay president Sylvain Amic, attended by senior French and Qatari figures. A Qatar Museums spokesperson said the loan is long-term pending the Art Mill Museum opening around 2030, with planned rotations between Paris and Doha under temporary export authorisations.
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