William Bouguereau: Nymphs and Satyr (1873); Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, Williamstown MA

Today, many people see the paintings of William Bouguereau as being too smooth and even kitschy, but this wasn’t always the case. In his own time, Bouguereau (1825-1905) was considered one of the greatest painters in the world. He was praised extensively for his ability to depict mythological themes and other traditional subjects in a ‘fresh,’ modern way, and for his fabulous technical skills and complex compositions. Especially his piquant yet graceful rendering of the female nude was admired by both the public and in academic circles. His work, that would eventually comprise 826 paintings, was very popular with wealthy collectors, who loved to decorate their houses with Bouguereau’s idealizing pictures.

His success made him a very rich man, but there was also much criticism. New generation artists, who abstained from the formal, academic conventions, opposed Bouguereau’s traditional, inoffensive style. Edgar Degas and some of his fellow-artists even invented the word ‘Bouguereauté’ to describe slick and artificial works of art. Their harsh critiques have surely contributed to Bouguereau’s fall into disgrace.

Bouguereau’s painting Nymphs and Satyr was exhibited in Paris for the first time in 1873, one year before the daring exposition where the Impressionists showed their radical, controversial art. It is a typical Bouguereau in all aspects: it deals with a classical theme (actually a free interpretation of a text by the Latin poet Statius), it consists mainly of female nudes, who are depicted in the most complex body postures, and it is painted in his characteristic smooth, glossy style. Bouguereau was a perfectionist and he made numerous preparatory drawings; for example, for the body of the satyr he studied the rear of a real goat as well as the ears of a horse.

While the Impressionists’ aversion can be understood from their point of view and the period they lived in, the time may have come for a renewed appreciation for Bouguereau’s lighthearted, playful art as well as his astonishing craftsmanship.

(text: Maarten Levendig)