A Young Girl in Profile (work of art)
Artwork Info
Key Ideas
- William Adolphe Bouguereau was a French painter. He was known for his attention to detail and ability to depict lifelike figures.
- Bouguereau completed this figure study with the intention of depicting the girl in his larger paintings.
- Bouguereau was an academic painter. Academic art was produced under the influence of the official European academies of art. The standards of the French Académie des Beaux-Arts controlled the art that was produced during that time.
- In the 1800s many painters depicted the harsh realities of life in rural France in their work. Bouguereau painted peaceful scenes of country life instead.
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William Adolphe Bouguereau was a French academic painter. He was known for his scenes of pastoral tranquility (peaceful country life) depicting women and mythical figures. He was also known for his detailed and lifelike figures. This can be seen in the gentle curve of the young girl’s cheeks and the fine texture of her hair.
Many 19th-century painters depicted the poor conditions in which rural people lived and worked. In contrast, Bouguereau painted romanticized (to make something seem better than it really is) scenes of rural life. The French Academy’s influence declined toward the end of the 1800s. However, Bouguereau’s academic style paintings were still successful.
Academic art was produced under the influence of the official European academies of art. These academies controlled most of the art world from the 17th century through the 19th century. The academies were centers for teaching and exhibiting. They often controlled which artists received patronage (financial and social support). The standards of the French Académie des Beaux-Arts dominated art of this time. Their style combined elements of neoclassicism and romanticism. Neoclassicism was an art movement that drew inspiration from ancient Greece and Rome. Romanticism was an art movement that encouraged individualism and the appreciation of nature. The elements of these two styles can be seen in Bouguereau’s work.
For me a work of art must be an elevated interpretation of nature. The search for the ideal has been the purpose of my life. In landscape or seascape, I love above all the poetic motif.
William Adolphe Bouguereau
Bouguereau completed this figure study with the intention of including the girl’s likeness in larger paintings.
Additional Resources
Resources for Teachers
- Read a short essay about the European art academies of the 19th century.
- Read the artist’s biography.
- Watch a video about the different painting techniques that Bouguereau used in his works.
Resources for Students
- View another work by the artist.
- Read a short description of Bouguereau’s life and work.
- Watch a video about one of Bouguereau’s paintings to learn the story of its ownership in America.
Images
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A Young Girl in Profile
An oil painting of a young girl with a light skin tone, full cheeks, dark blonde hair, and blue eyes. Her body faces the viewer, and her head is turned to the left. She is wearing a loose brown blouse over a white undershirt. Her hair is partially tied up with a dark red ribbon. The rest of her hair falls down her back. The background of the painting is dark brown. Along the top edge of the brown blouse is black writing that says “W. Bouguereau-1881”.