The Virgin of the Lilies - Ornament

This painting was done in 1899 by William-Adolphe Bouguereau, (1825 – 1905), a French academic painter. William Bouguereau was a staunch traditionalist whose realistic genre paintings and mythological themes were modern interpretations of Classical subjects with a heavy emphasis on the female human body. Although he created an idealised world, his almost photo-realistic style was popular with rich art patrons. He was very famous in his time but today his subject matter and technique receive relatively little attention compared to the popularity of the Impressionists. Like many painters of the second half of the 19th century, Bouguereau made a careful study of form and technique and steeped himself in classical sculpture and painting. True to his serious and industrious nature, he worked deliberately and industriously: before beginning a painting he would master the history of his subject and complete numerous sketches. The tenderness with which he portrayed children and domestic scenes, his technical skill and passion for the classics, and his love of rich colour are hallmarks of Bouguereau's exquisite paintings.