The Seaside at Palavas 1854 is an oil on canvas painting by the French artist Gustave Courbet.

It depicts a solitary figure standing on the coast facing the immensity of the sea.

The painting was commissioned by Alfred Bruyas during Courbet's first stay at Montpellier.

Courbet originated in Franche-Comté and so the landscapes of Languedoc and the Mediterranean were a revelation.

The work was also partly inspired by The Monk by the Sea by Caspar David Friedrich.