F[erdinand?] Tempelaere, Paris. {1} Emile Bernheim, Paris. {2} Josef Stransky, New York, acquired between May 1931 and May 1935. {3} (Wildenstein & Co., New York); {4} purchased by the Indianapolis Museum of Art (formerly John Herron Art Institute) on February 21, 1939 (39.3)

{1} Robert Fernier, La vie et l’oeuvre de Gustave Courbet; catalogue raisonné Lausanne, 1977-1978, 2 vols., cat. no. 843 cites the first owner as 'Coll. F. Tempelaere, Paris.' Perhaps this refers to the elder of the Tempelaere brothers, Ferdinand (1871-1955) and Julien (1876-1961), who were art collectors.
{2} Fernier cites 'Coll. Emile Bernheim, Paris;' see footnote above.
{3} Although Josef Stransky, the long-time conductor of the New York Philharmonic, owned three Courbets by May 1931 -- see Ralph Flint, 'The Private Collection of Josef Stransky', Art News, vol. XXIX, no. 33 (May 16, 1931): 87-88 - this painting was not among them. But by May 1935 when another checklist of his collection was published, this painting is included as 'Le Puits Noir'; see 'French Masters of the XIX and XX century: The private collection of Josef Stransky, New York', Special Reprint from the Art New Supplement, May 1931, including recent accessions up to May 1935, unpaginated (ill.).
{4}IMA Temporary Receipt No. 3794.