Portrait of Adolphe-William Bouguereau

Adolphe-William Bouguereau Painting Reproductions 1 of 11

1825-1905

French Academic Classicism Painter

Adolphe-William Bouguereau (1825-1905) was a French academic painter. He was a traditionalist whose polished and idealized paintings emphasized mythological and religious subjects. Bouguereau was a highly successful artist during his lifetime, but his work fell out of favor with the rise of modern art. In recent decades, there has been a revival of interest in his paintings.

Adolphe-William Bouguereau was born on November 30, 1825, in La Rochelle, France. He showed an early talent for drawing and was sent to study at the École des Beaux-Arts in Bordeaux. In 1846, Bouguereau won the Prix de Rome, a prestigious scholarship that allowed him to study classical art in Rome. During his four years in Italy, Bouguereau studied Renaissance masters like Raphael and Michelangelo, who would greatly influence his own style.

After returning to France, Bouguereau established himself as a history and religious painter. He depicted scenes from ancient mythology, the Bible, and the lives of the saints. His paintings were praised for their skillful draftsmanship, use of rich colors, and idealized beauty. Bouguereau employed a meticulous painting technique and often made dozens of preparatory sketches for a single work.

In 1850, Bouguereau was awarded the Legion of Honor, the highest decoration in France. He gained widespread fame and was in high demand as a portraitist for aristocrats and the bourgeoisie. Bouguereau's paintings were very popular at the annual Paris Salon, and he served as an official judge at the Salon for decades.

Bouguereau's style embodied the French Academy's emphasis on technical skill, classical subjects, and ideal beauty. His paintings were praised for their polished finish and photographic realism. However, with the rise of modern art in the late 19th century, Bouguereau's traditional style fell out of favor. Younger avant-garde artists criticized his work as superficial, sentimental, and detached from contemporary life.

Despite the criticism, Bouguereau remained popular with collectors and the public until his death. He continued exhibiting at the Salon until 1904. Bouguereau passed away on August 19, 1905, at the age of 79, in his hometown of La Rochelle, France.

For most of the 20th century, Bouguereau's work was dismissed by art historians and critics. However, since the 1980s, there has been a revival of interest in his paintings. Bouguereau is now recognized as a master of the academic style, with a technical virtuosity and idealized sensuality that appeals to modern audiences. His works are held in major museums around the world, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Musée d'Orsay, and the J. Paul Getty Museum.

Bouguereau's work is now seen as a pinnacle of skill and craftsmanship, rather than mere sentimentality. His paintings are admired for their visual splendor and idealization of the human form. His sensual and decorative style appeals to modern sensibilities more attuned to sexuality and the body. Paintings like The Birth of Venus have become popular and recognizable.

Bouguereau's work represents an important aspect of 19th-century French painting that was long overlooked. His immense popularity and mastery of the Salon style are now recognized as significant. Though the Impressionists rebelled against his style, Bouguereau was an inspiration for later painters like Salvador Dalí, who praised his technical skill and "virtuosity." Bouguereau's work has parallels with 20th-century Surrealism.

Bouguereau's paintings have become highly sought after in the art market, with major works selling for millions of dollars. His revival is linked to a renewed interest in academic and figurative painting among collectors.

Bouguereau has emerged from obscurity to regain his place as a pivotal figure in 19th-century art. His masterful paintings are once again admired for their visual splendor, technical brilliance, and embodiment of traditional values. Bouguereau's revival reflects a desire to reexamine art history and a newfound appreciation for the academic style he helped define.

241 Bouguereau Paintings

The Dance, 1856 by Bouguereau | Painting Reproduction

The Dance 1856

Oil Painting
$1939
Canvas Print
$50.22
SKU: BWA-172
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size: 367 x 180 cm
Musee d'Orsay, Paris, France

Arion an a Seahorse, 1854 by Bouguereau | Painting Reproduction

Arion an a Seahorse 1854

Oil Painting
$1790
Canvas Print
$50.22
SKU: BWA-173
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size: 71.3 x 111.8 cm
Cleveland Museum of Art, Ohio, USA

Bacchante on a Panther, 1855 by Bouguereau | Painting Reproduction

Bacchante on a Panther 1855

Oil Painting
$1895
Canvas Print
$59.85
SKU: BWA-174
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size: 71.4 x 111.3 cm
Cleveland Museum of Art, Ohio, USA

The Annunciation, 1888 by Bouguereau | Painting Reproduction

The Annunciation 1888

Oil Painting
$1873
Canvas Print
$50.22
SKU: BWA-175
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size: 92.7 x 50.8 cm
Private Collection

Fraternal Love, 1851 by Bouguereau | Painting Reproduction

Fraternal Love 1851

Oil Painting
$1979
Canvas Print
$50.68
SKU: BWA-176
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size: 147 x 113.7 cm
Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Massachusetts, USA

Idyll: Family from Antiquity, 1860 by Bouguereau | Painting Reproduction

Idyll: Family from Antiquity 1860

Oil Painting
$1661
Canvas Print
$60.06
SKU: BWA-177
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size: 92 x 73 cm
Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford, USA

Marguerite, 1868 by Bouguereau | Painting Reproduction

Marguerite 1868

Oil Painting
$1637
SKU: BWA-178
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size: unknown
Museo de Arte, Ponce

The Secret, c.1876 by Bouguereau | Painting Reproduction

The Secret c.1876

Oil Painting
$2092
Canvas Print
$50.22
SKU: BWA-179
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size: 130 x 85 cm
Historical Society, New York, USA

Le jour des morts (All Saints' Day), 1859 by Bouguereau | Painting Reproduction

Le jour des morts (All Saints' Day) 1859

Oil Painting
$1873
Canvas Print
$72.60
SKU: BWA-180
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size: 147 x 120 cm
Musee des Beaux Arts, Bordeaux, France

The Thank Offering, 1867 by Bouguereau | Painting Reproduction

The Thank Offering 1867

Oil Painting
$1961
Canvas Print
$50.22
SKU: BWA-181
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size: 147.2 x 107 cm
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Pennsylvania, USA

Charity (The Indigent Family), 1865 by Bouguereau | Painting Reproduction

Charity (The Indigent Family) 1865

Oil Painting
$2071
Canvas Print
$62.00
SKU: BWA-182
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size: 122 x 152.4 cm
Museum and Art Gallery, Birmingham, United Kingdom

First Caresses, 1866 by Bouguereau | Painting Reproduction

First Caresses 1866

Oil Painting
$1859
Canvas Print
$50.22
SKU: BWA-183
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size: 190 x 127.5 cm
National Trust, Lyndhurst, USA

Temptation, 1880 by Bouguereau | Painting Reproduction

Temptation 1880

Oil Painting
$1939
Canvas Print
$57.85
SKU: BWA-184
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size: 99 x 132 cm
Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minnesota, USA

The Elder Sister, n.d. by Bouguereau | Painting Reproduction

The Elder Sister n.d.

Oil Painting
$1622
Canvas Print
$50.22
SKU: BWA-185
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size: 55.5 x 45.5 cm
Brooklyn Museum of Art, New York, USA

The Shepherdess, 1873 by Bouguereau | Painting Reproduction

The Shepherdess 1873

Oil Painting
$1979
Canvas Print
$65.74
SKU: BWA-186
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size: 165.1 x 87.6 cm
Berkshire Museum, Pittsfield, USA

The Young Shepherdess, 1885 by Bouguereau | Painting Reproduction

The Young Shepherdess 1885

Oil Painting
$2008
Canvas Print
$50.22
SKU: BWA-187
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size: 157.5 x 72.4 cm
San Diego Museum of Art, California, USA

Meditation, 1885 by Bouguereau | Painting Reproduction

Meditation 1885

Oil Painting
$1873
Canvas Print
$50.22
SKU: BWA-188
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size: 132.1 x 86.4 cm
Joslyn Art Museum, Omaha, USA

La tricoteuse (The Knitting Girl), 1869 by Bouguereau | Painting Reproduction

La tricoteuse (The Knitting Girl) 1869

Oil Painting
$1859
Canvas Print
$50.22
SKU: BWA-189
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size: 144.7 x 99 cm
Joslyn Art Museum, Omaha, USA

Rest, 1879 by Bouguereau | Painting Reproduction

Rest 1879

Oil Painting
$2092
Canvas Print
$53.97
SKU: BWA-190
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size: 164.5 x 117.5 cm
Cleveland Museum of Art, Ohio, USA

The Bohemian, 1890 by Bouguereau | Painting Reproduction

The Bohemian 1890

Oil Painting
$1727
Canvas Print
$50.22
SKU: BWA-191
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size: 150 x 106.7 cm
Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minnesota, USA

Les petites mendicantes (The Little Beggar Girls), 1890 by Bouguereau | Painting Reproduction

Les petites mendicantes (The Little Beggar Girls) 1890

Oil Painting
$1979
Canvas Print
$50.22
SKU: BWA-192
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size: 161.6 x 93.4 cm
Syracuse University Art Collection, New York, USA

Little Marauders, 1872 by Bouguereau | Painting Reproduction

Little Marauders 1872

Oil Painting
$2008
Canvas Print
$50.22
SKU: BWA-193
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size: 200.5 x 109 cm
Private Collection

Return from the Harvest, 1878 by Bouguereau | Painting Reproduction

Return from the Harvest 1878

Oil Painting
$3472
Canvas Print
$50.22
SKU: BWA-194
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size: 241.3 x 170.2 cm
Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens, Jacksonville, USA

Childhood Idyll, 1900 by Bouguereau | Painting Reproduction

Childhood Idyll 1900

Oil Painting
$1873
Canvas Print
$73.52
SKU: BWA-195
Adolphe-William Bouguereau
Original Size: 102 x 130 cm
Denver Museum of Art, Colorado, USA

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