Portrait of Adolphe-William Bouguereau

Adolphe-William Bouguereau Giclée Fine Art Prints 4 of 9

1825-1905

French Academic Classicism Painter

Adolphe-William Bouguereau (1825-1905) was a French academic painter known for his realistic and mythological works. He was a prominent figure in the art world during the 19th century and was highly regarded for his technical skill and attention to detail.

Bouguereau was born on November 30, 1825, in La Rochelle, France. His father was a wine merchant, and his mother was a descendant of a family of painters. Bouguereau showed an early interest in art, and at the age of 12, he began studying drawing under a local artist named Louis Sage. In 1841, Bouguereau moved to Bordeaux to study at the École Municipale de Dessin et de Peinture, where he studied under Jean-Paul Alaux. In 1846, he won the Prix de Rome, a prestigious scholarship that allowed him to study at the French Academy in Rome. During his time in Rome, Bouguereau was exposed to the works of the Italian Renaissance masters, which greatly influenced his style.

Bouguereau returned to France in 1850 and began to establish himself as a successful artist. He was known for his meticulous attention to detail and his ability to create lifelike, almost photographic, representations of his subjects. His works often depicted mythological scenes, religious themes, and idealized representations of women and children.

Bouguereau's style was firmly rooted in the academic tradition, which emphasized the importance of drawing and the study of the human form. He was a staunch defender of the academic style and was critical of the emerging Impressionist movement, which he viewed as a departure from the rigorous standards of academic art.

He was appointed Commander of the Legion of Honor in 1885 and was made Grand Officier of the Legion of Honour in 1905. Bouguereau was a highly influential teacher at the Académie Julian and the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Along with Alexandre Cabanel, he played a significant role in the French art establishment and was a major figure in maintaining the academic tradition in art during a time when it was threatened by modernism.

Bouguereau's work was characterized by his focus on mythological themes, classical subjects, and an emphasis on the female human body. His paintings often featured idealized and carefully painted realistic forms set against romantic, idealized locales. Despite facing criticism from some avant-garde artists, Bouguereau enjoyed significant popularity in France, the United States, and other countries during his lifetime. His reputation experienced a revival in the 1980s, leading to a rediscovery of his work and appreciation for his contributions to the art world.

208 Bouguereau Artworks

Page 4 of 9
Breton Brother and Sister, 1871 by Bouguereau | Canvas Print
Giclée Canvas Print
$85.87
SKU: 255-BWA
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size:129.2 x 89.2 cm
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA

Child at Bath, 1886 by Bouguereau | Canvas Print
Giclée Canvas Print
$49.98
SKU: 199-BWA
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size:83.5 x 61.6 cm
Henry Art Gallery at the University of Washington, Seattle, USA

Study of a Girl's Head, 1840 by Bouguereau | Canvas Print
Giclée Canvas Print
$49.98
SKU: 5480-BWA
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size:45.7 x 38 cm
Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Canada

Nymphs and Satyr, 1873 by Bouguereau | Canvas Print
Giclée Canvas Print
$52.33
SKU: 217-BWA
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size:260 x 180 cm
The Clark Art Institute, Massachusetts, USA

Art and Literature, 1867 by Bouguereau | Canvas Print
Giclée Canvas Print
$49.98
SKU: 210-BWA
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size:200 x 108 cm
Arnot Art Museum, Elmira, USA

The Return of Spring, 1886 by Bouguereau | Canvas Print
Giclée Canvas Print
$52.85
SKU: 225-BWA
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size:215 x 117 cm
Joslyn Art Museum, Omaha, USA

Loves Resistance, 1885 by Bouguereau | Paper Art Print
Giclée Paper Art Print
$47.70
SKU: 6286-BWA
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size:34.5 x 23.5 cm
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, California, USA

Admiration, 1897 by Bouguereau | Canvas Print
Giclée Canvas Print
$70.11
SKU: 218-BWA
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size:147 x 200 cm
San Antonio Museum of Art, Texas, USA

Madonna with the Christ Child and Saint John the Baptist, 1863 by Bouguereau | Canvas Print
Giclée Canvas Print
$74.54
SKU: 292-BWA
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size:137 x 108 cm
Chi-Mei Museum, Taiwan, Taiwan

Reverie, 1899 by Bouguereau | Canvas Print
Giclée Canvas Print
$51.78
SKU: 19627-BWA
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size:111 x 76.5 cm
Private Collection

Inspiration, 1898 by Bouguereau | Canvas Print
Giclée Canvas Print
$60.49
SKU: 302-BWA
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size:unknown
Columbus Museum of Art, Ohio, USA

The Shell, 1871 by Bouguereau | Canvas Print
Giclée Canvas Print
$49.98
SKU: 223-BWA
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size:131 x 89.5 cm
Private Collection

Difficult Lesson, 1880 by Bouguereau | Canvas Print
Giclée Canvas Print
$58.04
SKU: 10284-BWA
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size:95.9 x 60.3 cm
Private Collection

A Calling (Seated Girl Writing), 1896 by Bouguereau | Canvas Print
Giclée Canvas Print
$51.10
SKU: 307-BWA
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size:104 x 71 cm
Cleveland Museum of Art, Ohio, USA

The Jewel of the Fields (Detail), 1884 by Bouguereau | Canvas Print
Giclée Canvas Print
$62.58
SKU: 6290-BWA
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size:unknown
Musee des Beaux-Arts de Montreal, Quebec, Canada

The Bohemian, 1890 by Bouguereau | Canvas Print
Giclée Canvas Print
$49.98
SKU: 191-BWA
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size:150 x 106.7 cm
Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minnesota, USA

The Secret, c.1876 by Bouguereau | Canvas Print
Giclée Canvas Print
$49.98
SKU: 179-BWA
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size:130 x 85 cm
Historical Society, New York, USA

Big Sis', 1886 by Bouguereau | Canvas Print
Giclée Canvas Print
$81.07
SKU: 313-BWA
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size:unknown
Private Collection

Charity, 1878 by Bouguereau | Canvas Print
Giclée Canvas Print
$55.14
SKU: 201-BWA
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size:196 x 117 cm
Smith College Museum of Art, Northampton, USA

Pastourelle (Shepherdess), 1889 by Bouguereau | Canvas Print
Giclée Canvas Print
$52.70
SKU: 234-BWA
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size:159 x 93 cm
Philbrook Museum of Art, Tulsa, USA

Oranges, 1865 by Bouguereau | Canvas Print
Giclée Canvas Print
$50.18
SKU: 11683-BWA
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size:117 x 90 cm
Private Collection

Work Interrupted (Penelope), 1891 by Bouguereau | Canvas Print
Giclée Canvas Print
$49.98
SKU: 220-BWA
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size:160 x 99.7 cm
Mead Art Museum at Amherst College, Massachusetts, USA

Getting Up, 1865 by Bouguereau | Canvas Print
Giclée Canvas Print
$57.84
SKU: 19629-BWA
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size:115.6 x 89 cm
Private Collection

Bacchante on a Panther, 1855 by Bouguereau | Canvas Print
Giclée Canvas Print
$59.57
SKU: 174-BWA
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size:71.4 x 111.3 cm
Cleveland Museum of Art, Ohio, USA

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