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Several weeks back, reader Johnny Cat suggested Bouguereau’s paintings for ‘Feel Art Again.’ Adolphe William Bouguereau’s “A Young Girl Defending Herself Against Eros” seems a good painting for today, Valentine’s Day, so let’s delve right in.
1. Adolphe William Bouguereau was an artist who managed to achieve great success during his own lifetime. His paintings were popular with American millionaires, who spent large sums of money on obtaining original Bougueraus, and it is said that Edgar Degas and Claude Monet once named him “most likely to be remembered as the greatest 19th-century French painter by the year 2000.” He exhibited in the Paris Salons for more than 50 years. However, Bouguereau’s success wasn’t always such a sure thing: he was the 99th of 100 students accepted to the Ecole des Beaux Arts in 1846.
2. Bouguereau received his first drawing lessons at age 13 from Louis Sage, a student of Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres (previously featured on ‘Feel Art Again’).
3. Paying for his education difficult for Bouguereau. While at the Ecole des Beaux Arts, he made ends meet by bookkeeping for a wine merchant and designing labels for jams and preserves.
4. After demonstrators invaded the National Assembly in May 15, Bouguereau enlisted in the National Guard. The following month, he fought in the Revolution (of 1848) alongside fellow artist Isidore Pils.
5. In 1905, Bouguereau’s house and studio in Paris were burgled during a string of burglaries in the neighborhood. The burglary is believed to have exacerbated Bouguereau’s heart disease, with which he had already been struggling. A few months after the burglary, he succumbed to his heart disease and passed away on August 19.
A larger version of the painting is available here.
‘Feel Art Again’ appears every Tuesday and Thursday.
Comments (12)
Comment
This painting is beautiful.
posted by Jonathan on 2-14-2008 at 5:46 pm
This is my favorite Mental_Floss article! A weekly MUST READ for me. I would love to read blogs like this covering music, movies and books!
New but loyal reader,
Renee
posted by Renee Walker on 2-14-2008 at 6:29 pm
Thanks a bunch for answering my plea. Yes, what an appropriate choice for today, though I love others more, particularly when his subjects are facing forward. He delivers such personality in the faces.
But he’s possibly the hardest name to Google if you’re trying to spell it out.
Love the feature every time, Andrea!
posted by Johnny Cat on 2-14-2008 at 7:49 pm
This is my favorite feature that you do! I would like to make a request. Hieronymous Bosch, specifically the Garden of Earthly Delights.
posted by Nikki on 2-15-2008 at 12:00 am
I will join the chorus of “This is my favourite feature in MF”, Feel Art Again makes me return to this site every week,
Bouguereau was indeed quite wealthy during his lifetime, contrary to many other artists, what is it that made him to be “likeable” compared to other artists would be one thing to investigate…
Good Job.
posted by Fign on 2-15-2008 at 7:06 am
Bouguereau is one of my favorite painters. The faces of his subjects do have such personality, as another commenter pointed out.
posted by Heather on 2-15-2008 at 7:35 am
Bouguereau is my favorite painter, thanks for featuring him.
posted by babel on 2-15-2008 at 11:59 am
I really do love the way you spotlight various artists and provide background on the artist. I’m a HUGE fan of Maxfield Parrish, but some would argue that he’s an illustrator, not a true artist. Whatever classification he falls in to, I would love it if you would show one of his works and provide a brief background on him.
posted by Hoya on 2-15-2008 at 12:03 pm
“Girl Braiding a Wreath” is my favorite Bouguereau painting, although he has many wonderful works.
posted by Ghost on 2-15-2008 at 1:20 pm
@Nikki - I had never heard of Bosch before a visit the Prado in Madrid a few years ago. My first introduction to his work was The Garden of Earthly Delights. It’s an amazing piece of work, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was looking at a dirty Where’s Waldo!
posted by Jen on 2-15-2008 at 5:25 pm
Bouguereau’s “Young Priestess” is at the local art gallery in Rochester. It is one of the most beautiful and realistic paintings on display. The detail in the feet alone is amazing. Thanks for another great art article!
posted by CND on 2-16-2008 at 3:58 pm
Saw this one at the Getty in L.A. last weekend. Several of his works are there. I was very impressed with this painting.
posted by scott on 2-17-2008 at 4:28 pm