Lot 63
  • 63

William Bouguereau

Estimate
1,500,000 - 2,500,000 USD
bidding is closed

Description

  • William-Adolphe Bouguereau
  • Jeune bergère debout
  • signed W-BOUGUEREAU and dated 1887 (lower left)
  • oil on canvas
  • 62 by 29 in.
  • 157.5 by 73.7 cm

Provenance

Arthur Tooth & Sons, London (acquired via their Paris agency in December 1887 directly from the artist and transferred to London in January 1888, no. 478 as La Bergère)
Robert H. Goddard, Providence, Rhode Island (acquired from the above in June 1888)
The Rhode Island Hospital, Providence (and sold to benefit the Hasbro Children's Hospital: Christie's, New York, May 25, 1994, lot 67, illustrated)
Acquired at the above sale by the present owner

Exhibited

Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, Newington Cropsey Foundation, October 12-December 18, 1999

Literature

The artist's carnet de comptes, 1887
Catalogue Braun & Clément, no. 3003, the engraving illustrated (as Bergère)
Mark Steven Walker, "William-Adolphe-Bouguereau, A Summary Catalogue of the Paintings," in William-Adolphe Bouguereau L'Art Pompier, exh. cat., New York, 1992, p. 73

Condition

The following condition report was kindly provided by Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc.: This painting seems to be in lovely condition. The canvas has a lining applied with wax. The paint layer is stable and has been restored quite recently. The retouches, such as they are, are visible under ultraviolet light in the palm of the left hand and in a few spots in the left elbow; the face is un-retouched, as is the hair and the bulk of the remainder of the picture. There's a little thinness in the shadowed side of the figure's waist, which has been retouched, and there are some restorations in the folds of the blue sash. Overall, this is a picture in extremely good condition and should 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."

Catalogue Note

Jeune Bergère Debout features a strong, self-possessed young shepherdess, her head titled inquisitively as she stares directly out towards the viewer. Delicate black curls frame her heart-shaped face, softening the directness of her penetrating gaze. Her reed-like staff, less a functional instrument than a complementary accessory, lightly supports her weight; her slender arms creating almost a balletic gesture. Her mix of innocence and defiance is captivating. Bouguereau's profound ability to convey an entire narrative with a simple painted gesture or expression is especially salient in the present work. From the placement of the facial features, to the anatomically correct toes, Bouguereau's work is characterized by an uncanny skill for depicting the human figure, underscoring the rigorous Academic training the artist underwent in his youth and his strict lifelong adherence to traditional modes of art production. Under the guidance of influential art dealer Paul Durand-Ruel, the artist built an illustrious career on such monumental depictions of beautiful peasant girls. 

The Age of Enlightenment ushered in a new approach to thinking in both France and America in the years prior to the French Revolution (1789-1799). Philosophers, intellectuals and writers of the movement maintained that truth could be achieved through rational thought and empirical observance of nature, not blind acceptance of past doctrines. The individual became the central focus in this paradigm shift, as humanity was seen as the vehicle toward not only scientific and intellectual achievement, but spiritual and moral achievement as well. This spirit of the Enlightenment is evident in Bouguereau's paintings – his strict adherence to nature exalted the human figure and his choice of humble peasants, portrayed in monumental scale, celebrated the endless capabilities of the individual. In many respects, Bouguereau's paintings exemplify the key components of Enlightenment thinking; in other words, they represent a deep respect for human rights, liberty and the belief in the equality of all men.

Wealthy nineteenth-century American industrialists were deeply attracted to Bouguereau's work, engaged by the artist's celebration of the human form as the ultimate subject. The origins of Enlightenment thinking in the United States can be traced in part to Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), whose writings form our basic concepts of individual rights as they exist today. In mid-nineteenth-century America, these rights not only enabled individuals to protect themselves and their families, but allowed them ownership of their entire reality; enormous fortunes were amassed and legacies established by individuals of profoundly modest means, establishing, as never before, that success was achievable simply through hard work, dedication and perseverance. Bouguereau's paintings reinforce this notion of self-actualization; in Jeune Bergère Debout the viewer is confronted by a portrait of a headstrong young teenage girl, whose look of willfulness seems to suggest that despite her simple background, her potential is limitless. 

The present work was possibly engraved by Braun, Clément  & Cie., Paris.