WILLIAM BOUGUEREAU | Le voeu (réduction)

Michael Sharara, Michigan (purchased in France in 2004) 
Neal and Alice Caldwell, Knoxville, Tennessee (acquired from the above in 2004) 
Professor William Wright, Knoxville, Tennessee
Schiller and Bodo, New York (acquired in 2016) 
Private Collection, California (acquired in 2017) 

Examined in the frame. Original unlined condition. There is a patch adhered to the reverse at upper right. The surface presents well. Under UV: There is an area of restoration at upper left (associated with the aforementioned patch) and some finely applied inpainting to address prior craquelure on the child.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Demand for William Bouguereau’s paintings was constant and réductions were frequently commissioned of the artist’s studio by his savvy dealer, Goupil, hoping to satisfy collectors who wished to acquire the no-longer-available original, or to provide printmakers with a template from which to work. Bouguereau's studio, which included accomplished artists Pierre August Cot, Alfred Henri Bramtot, and Gustave Doyen, often participated in the painting of the reduced versions of his Salon works.

This lot will be included in the forthcoming third edition of the William Bouguereau catalogue raisonné currently in preparation by Damien Bartoli and Frederick C. Ross, with Kara Lysandra Ross, as no. 1867/06A.