"The Stone Breakers" is a painting created by the French artist Gustave Courbet in 1849. It depicts two laborers breaking stones on a road, showcasing the harsh realities of manual labor during the 19th century. The artwork is notable for its realistic portrayal of working-class individuals, emphasizing their physical toil and the importance of their labor. This painting is considered a significant work of the Realism movement, which aimed to represent everyday life without idealization. "The Stone Breakers" challenges traditional artistic themes by focusing on the struggles of ordinary people, making it a powerful statement about social conditions of the time.