William Bouguereau - Study For 'inspiration' - Oil On Canvas

Oil on canvas (original canvas)
Unframed.
24 cm x 19.5 cm
Signed with the initials "W.B" on the stretcher on verso.

Provenance: Remained in the artist's descendants to the present day; Private collection, Normandy.

Our sketch is a preparatory study for the painting Inspiration, exhibited at the 1898 Salon, now in private collection.

William Bouguereau (1825-1905) was a French academic painter, famous for his works of refined realism and impeccable technique. He excelled in depicting the human body, especially the female form, with classical, idealized compositions inspired by mythology and everyday life. His work is distinguished by soft colors, a smooth finish and subtle light that give his paintings an almost photographic beauty. Among his most famous works are La Naissance de Vénus and Jeune Fille à la Pomme, which perfectly illustrate his talent for combining realism and idealization.