Gustave Courbet's Stonebreakers alarmed upper-class viewers because it reminded them of recent uprisings by the poor.

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Courbet's painting was seen as a commentary on the social and economic conditions of the time, and its portrayal of two laborers breaking stones was perceived as a reflection of the unrest and protests by the working class. This made upper-class viewers uncomfortable and alarmed.

Gustave Courbet's Stonebreakers Alarmed Upper-Class Viewers Because It Reminded Them