William Adolphe Bouguereau (November 30, 1825 - August 19, 1905) was a French academic painter. A student at the Académie Julian in Paris, his realistic genre paintings and mythological themes were exhibited in the annual exhibitions of the Paris Salon for his entire working life. Although he fell into disregard, due perhaps to his staunch opposition to the Impressionists, there is a new appreciation for his work.
Bouguereau was married to fellow artist Elizabeth Jane Gardner Bouguereau. He also used his influence to open many French art institutions to women for the first time, including the Academie Français.
List of works
La Danse 1850
Tobias Saying Good-Bye to his Father 1860
Dusk 1863
Le Printemps (The Return of Spring) 1866
Alone in the World (Latest 1867)
The Knitting Girl 1869
The First Kiss 1873
Nymphs and Satyr 1873
Cupidon 1875
The Birth of Venus 1879
Evening Mood 1882
The Nut Gatherers 1882
Crown of Flowers 1884
The Shepherdess 1889
The Little Shepherdess 1891
Invading Cupid’s Realm 1892
L’innocence 1893
The Abduction of Psyche 1895
The Young Shepherdess 1895
The Virgin With Angels 1900
Young Priestess 1902
The Madonna of the Roses 1903
Quotes
"One has to seek Beauty and Truth, Sir! As I always say to my pupils, you have to work to the finish. There’s only one kind of painting. It is the painting that presents the eye with perfection, the kind of beautiful and impeccable enamel you find in Veronese and Titian." – William Adolphe Bouguereau, 1895