Aaron Holland Fine Art

Adolphe-William Bouguereau
1825-1905
French

William Adolphe Bouguereau was an artist that lived around the turn of the last century, 1900. If you have been following my blog, you may remember that it is my favorite period in art history. That was a time that had major shifts happening in the art world between two differing factions. Strongly supporting the academic standard of the day was William Bouguereau.

Bouguereau ranks three in my list of favorites, not simply for his technical expertise, which is something to be marveled at, but for his aesthetic tastes. It might be worth mentioning here, this reason helped make him very popular in his day as well. The saying went something like: “ My tastes are the same as the tastes of Monsieur Bouguereau”; and was echoed by a large percentage of the Parisian upper-class. Another interesting quote about Bouguereau (said as a backhanded compliment no doubt) was that he would be the most famous realist by the year 2000. Not quite true, but there is certainly a renewed interest in his work!

Bouguereau’s collection of works is vast and impressive. One might expect him to have been a child prodigy! However, when Bouguereau was young and about to enter his training, his outlook was not as optimistic as one might suppose. In fact, he barely made the cut to study at the Ecole des Beaux Art- the premiere art institution in Europe. The Ecole accepted 100 new students each year; Bouguereau placed at number 99.

Though it was an inauspicious beginning, his work ethic and developing talent began to show itself. By the age of 25 he had won the Prix de Rome. This coveted award did three things for the young artist: It increased his credibility and visibility to new audiences; It allowed him to concentrates on his studies (in Rome) for four years; And it made a few enemies.

While Bouguereau grew as an artist he became increasingly more conservative in his artistic outlook. This took expression in what is known as a classical (or academic) approach to painting. The artist took great pains to conceal his brushwork while at the same time conveying form and “roundness” in the figure in an almost photographic realism. This is sometimes referred to as “plasticity” in oil painting- a technique greatly enhanced during the Renaissance.

Bouguereau became a powerful member in the Royal Academy of Art and took a stance against the Avante Garde movement of art, denying them access to many exhibitions. When the Avante Guard movement finally came into vogue in Paris, Bouguereau’s popularity fell out of favor quickly. Just as his work exemplified canons of beauty in his day, so it became a model for everything the Avante Garde movement stood against. His paintings were sold, or put into storage as generations passed one to another.

Today his work is gaining favor again with contemporary audiences. As the cycles turn, tastes are once again turning to realism. It is exciting that people are starting to see and appreciate, perhaps for the first time, the artwork of William Bouguereau.

Bouguereau ‘s work falls roughly into three categories: Religious, Figurative, and Portraiture. His figurative work is beautiful, as are his portraits, but the reason I admire Monsieur Bouguereau most, is for his religious paintings. It was said that he painted one religious painting for the Salon each year, and entered another painting which was meant to be sold, such as his famous “peasant girl“ paintings. He painted the religious works on his own time, as they had a small audience and were less likely to sell. In my opinion, his religious paintings stand alone in depth of feeling and technical precision, as well as a strength of storytelling and design.

Photos courtesy of the Art Renewal Center