William Bouguereau

M. Knoedler (acquired from the artist in 1887)
Goupil & Co., New York
Isabel van Wie Willys, formerly Mrs. John N. Willys (and sold: Parke-Bernet Galleries, New York, October 25, 1945, lot 8)
Findlay Galleries (acquired at the above sale)
William Findlay (and sold: Parke-Bernet Galleries, New York, March 2, 1967, lot 104)
Galt Gallery (acquired at the above sale)
Private Collector (and sold: Sotheby's, New York, October 23, 1997, lot 75, illustrated)
Private Collection, Connecticut (acquired at the above sale)
Acquired by the present owner from the above

Marius Vachon, W. Bouguereau, Paris, 1900, p. 156
Mark Steven Walker, "A Summary Catalogue of the Paintings," in William-Adolphe Bouguereau: L'Art Pompier, exh. cat., New York, 1991, p. 73

The following condition report was kindly provided by Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc. This painting is in lovely condition. The canvas is lined, the surface is stable and has been recently cleaned and varnished. There is a small retouch in the wall beneath the right leg and in the left knee. Other than this, there do not appear to be any restorations. Clearly, this is a picture in lovely condition which is ready to be hung as is.
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

Many nineteenth century artists were concerned with incorporating Age of Enlightenment ideals as well as Judeo-Christian values into their subjects and themes following the social and cultural upheaval of the French and American revolutions. Bouguereau was one of the leaders amongst the artists and writers who successfully codified these Enlightenment beliefs in their work, and through his choice of subject he sought to communicate the timeless ideals of beauty and youth.

During the 1880s and 1890s, Bouguereau increasingly turned to allegorical fairy pictures, or tableaux de fantaisie, depicting cherubic young boys or girls either as individual figures or whispering into the ears of young women. L'Amour au papillon is an exceptional example from this series and the sensitive depiction of the young Cupid and butterfly reveals Bouguereau's consummate skill as an artist. According to Damien Bartoli, Knoedler bought this work from Bouguereau on June 2, 1887 during a visit to the artist's studio even before it was finished for 15,000 francs.

The image of Cupid with a butterfly was a popular subject for eighteenth and nineteenth century painters and sculptors alike. Many artists either interpreted the butterfly as symbolic of the human soul - the object of Cupid's torment - or representative of Psyche, Cupid's mortal lover who overcame many obstacles to win acceptance from the gods. In Greek, Psyche means both "butterfly" and "soul."  Antoine-Denis Chaudet's (1763-1810) most famous sculpture Cupid (1802-1807, Musée du Louvre, Paris) depicts his subject as a more mature youth, kneeling over to gently grasp a butterfly.  Antonio Canova (1757-1822) created many works devoted to the young lovers including his well-known figural pair Cupid and Psyche Standing (1796-1800, Musée du Louvre, Paris). This work features Cupid with one arm around Psyche's shoulder, holding a butterfly in his other hand while the two admire the winged creature. In English sculptor John Gibson's (1791-1866) Cupid Cherishing the Soul While Preparing to Torment It (1839) a more masculine Cupid is shown mid-stride, gripping a butterfly with one hand, his face bent forward carefully studying the captured animal.