Introduction: William(-Adolphe) Bouguereau (1825-1905) was a most awarded artist that mainly painted in a neo-classical style. He was part of the establishment of the art-world in the 2nd half of the 19th century in France.
Bouguereau (William-Adolphe; 1825-1905): 1879, Self-portrait, 46×38, MBA Montréal (iR3;M110)
Bouguereau (William-Adolphe; 1825-1905): 1850, Zenobia Found by Shepherds on the Banks of the Araxes, 148×118, MENSBA Paris = Prix de Rome for history painting in 1850 (iR2;iR3;iR23;M9)
Bouguereau (1825-1905): 1884-88, L’Adoration des Bergers, 354×199, Saint-Vincent-de-Paul church, Paris (iR10;iR459;iR1;R337) =SdAF-1885-333-2, L’Adoration des Bergers -> medaille d’honneur.
Bouguereau, as an artist: Bouguereau was born 1825/11/30 in La Rochelle. Went to Paris in 1846 and became a student at the École des Beaux-Arts and studied at the studio of Picot. He took extra lessons in he anatomical dissections, historical costumes and archeology. He painted many portraits, historical scenes, (sentimental) religious themes, moral lessons (for children) and many erotic (mythological) female nudes. He also would depict scenes from the country side, you could say a bit in a Naturalist style, but centralised therein well-formed and clean women.
Bouguereau and the Prix de Rome: After having failed in 1848 and 1849↓ Bouguereau won the Prix de Rome in 1850↑ and subsequently studied at the Académie de France at the Villa Medici in Rome under Ingris from 1851/01 till 1854/04.
Bouguereau (1825-1905): 1848, Saint Peter, after his delivery from prison, 114×147, private (iR6) PdR-1848 concours
Bouguereau (1825-1905): 1849, Ulysse reconnu par Euryclée, 112×145, MBA La Rochelle (aR1;iR6) PdR-1849 concours
Bouguereau and the Salon: Bouguereau made his debut at the Salon in 1849 (M1) and would exhibit here till his death in 1905, except in 1852 and 1900.
In 1857 he showed 11 paintings, including 8 wax paintings for the decoration of a salon and 1 ceiling painting. He received a first class medal.
In 1885 he showed 3 paintings, within two catalogue numbers. The first two were a commission from the city of Paris (iR459). He received a medaille d’honneur.
Bouguereau (1825-1905): 1848, Equality before death, 141×269, Orsay (iR6;M1) =S1849-201, Egalité devant la mort (debut)
Bouguereau (1825-1905): 1856, Napoleon III visiting flood victims of Tarascon in June 1856, 200×300, Town hall of Tarascon (iR6;iR1;R337) =S1857-319, L’empereur visitant les inondés de Tarascon (juin 1856) -> 1st class medal;
Bouguereau (1825-1905): 1885, Adoration of the magicians, xx, Saint-Vincent-de-Paul church, Paris (iR10;iR1;iR459) =SdAF-1885-333-1, SdAF1885-333, L’Adoration des Mages -> medaille d’honneur.
Bouguereau (1825-1905): 1884-88, L’Adoration des Bergers, 354×199, Saint-Vincent-de-Paul church, Paris (iR10;iR459;iR1;R337) =SdAF-1885-333-2, L’Adoration des Bergers -> medaille d’honneur.
Bouguereau and the Exposition Universelle: Bouguereau received at the Exposition Universelle of 1855 a 2nd class medal (iR242); in 1867 a 3rd class medal; a Medaille d’Honneur in 1878; joined in 1889 hors concours and in 1900 was part of the jury.
At the Exposition Universelle of 1855 he showed 4 paintings: two religious scenes a portrait and a study. He received a 2nd class medal (iR242).
At the Exposition Universelle of 1867 he showed 10 paintings; 8 he had shown before at the Salon. He received a 3rd class medal.
At the Exposition Universelle of 1878 he showed 12 paintings; 6 he had shown before at the Salon; 3 works were portraits. He received a Medaille d’Honneur.
At the Exposition Universelle of 1889 he showed 10 paintings at the exhibition ‘Oeuvres d’art’ and 4 at the Centennial exhibition; 7 he had shown before (at the Salon); 10 of them were loans; 3 were portraits. He joined ‘hors concours’.
At the Exposition Universelle of 1900 he showed just 1 painting at the Centennial exhibition and 8 at the Decennial exhibition. He was part of the jury.
Bouguereau (1825-1905): 1854, Triomph de Martyr (Funérailles de Sainte Cécile dans les catacombes), 344×428, MCh Lunéville (iR242;iR10;iR127) =EU1855-2599, Triomphe du martyre. … Le corps de sainte Cécile apporté dans les catacombes (-> 2nd class medal); =London-EU-1862-107.
Bouguereau (1825-1905): 1862, Bacchante (lutinant une chèvre), 115×185, MBA Bordeaux (iR4;iR1;R231;R337;M11) =S1863-228; =EU1867-73; =EU-C-1889-91
Bouguereau (1825-1905): 1888, SDbl, The First Mourning, 203×250, MBA Buenos Aires (iR6;iR1;R231-6;M114) =SdAF-1888-328 =EU-OdA-1889-157, Premier Deuil.
Bouguereau (1825-1905): 1900, SDbr, Childhood Idyll, 102×130, Denver AM (iR6;iR460;iR10;R231-3;M158) =!? EU-1900-D-cl7-244, Idylle enfantine, appartient à M. Knoedler.
Bouguereau (1825-1905): 1859, Le jour des morts, 147×120, MBA Bordeaux (iR10;iR64;iR23;iR1;R231;M11) =S1859-335; =EU1867-69 -> 3rd class medal
Bouguereau (1825-1905): 1864, Portrait de Marie-Thérèse Bartholoni, 221×150, private (iR135;iR4;iR1;R231;R337) =!?S1865-257, Portrait de Mme***; =EU1867-75, Portrait de Mme Bartholoni (Salon de 1865)
Bouguereau (1825-1905): 1875, Portrait d’Aristide Boucicaut, 146×84, LBM Paris (iR4;R231) =EU1878-106, Portrait de M. B. (Medaille d’Honneur); =EU-C-1889-92, Portrait de M. Boucicaut (E.U. 1878)
Bouguereau (1825-1905): 1875, Portrait de Marguerite Guérin, Madame Boucicaut, 146×84, LBM Paris (iR4;iR1;R231;R337) =S1876-241, Portrait de Mme B… (appointed Officier LdH); =EU-C-1889-93, Portrait de Mme. Boucicaut (S. 1876).
Bouguereau (1825-1905): 1889, Chansons de printemps, 149×100, private (iR6;iR155;iR10;R231) =EU-OdA-1889-161
Bouguereau (1825-1905): 1881-89, Jesus Christ meets his mother, xx, Saint-Vincent-de-Paul church, Paris (iR459;iR10;R231) =!? EU-EdA-1889-164, Jésus-Christ rencontre sa mère
Bouguereau (1825-1905): 1861, Philomela and Procne, 175×132, MNCh Fontainebleau (iR6;iR23;R231-1;M284) =EU-C-1900-56, Philomèle et Procné (Palais de Fontainebleau)
Bouguereau (1825-1905): 1895, Portrait of Madame la Comtesse de Cambacérès, 120×88, Seattle AM (M227;iR10;R231-3) =EU-1900-D-cl7-246, Portrait de Mme la comtesse de C.
Bouguereau depicted many moralistic themes: Bouguereau depicted many moralistic themes.
Bouguereau (1825-1905): 1877, La dévideuse, 162×98, private (iR4)
Bouguereau depicted peasants: Bouguereau depicted women standing before a field, suggesting they worked at the land. In fact they are clean washed, well-formed young women, who probably never worked in a field, but were models painted in his studio, put within a landscape.
Bouguereau, part of the establishement of art: Bouguereau was since 1875 a professor at the Academie Julian. Among his students were Bonnard, Denis, Matisse and Vuillard (R3,p644). He was member of the Académie / L’Institut since 1876 and still was in 1901. When he was in the jury of the Salon he opposed impressionist admissions.
Sources:
My main sources are: R3,p208+649;R9,p114;R88I,p71;R231; R337/1901; iR1; iR3; iR5; iR23.
Recommanded citation: “Meta-Impressionism: William Bouguereau (1825-1905), a most awarded, neo-classicist and influential artist. Last modified 2025/10/22. https://www.impressionism.nl/bouguereau-1825-1905/”
