During a stay at the picturesque Four Chimneys Inn in Bennington, Vermont, there was a picture of a little girl at the top of the stairs to our room.
(It was most probably a print.)
A post about the unidentified painting can be found https://writingstraightfromtheheart.blogspot.com/2019/07/portrait-of-child-and-more.html
Well, the mystery of who painted her is solved, thanks to the Internet.
She is the masterpiece of a French artist, William-Adolphe Bouguereau, who lived from 1825 to 1905, according to written accounts.
The painting is titled "The Story Book," with the original done in oils on canvas.
There are several sites that give details about the life of the successful French painter, Bouguereau.
One excellent source is "The Art Story...Modern Art Insight."
If all the information one gleans is correct, "The Story Book" was painted in 1877, apparently the same year that both the artist's young wife and an infant son died.
It would be perfectly understandable why the artist made the little girl in the painting look so sad. It may have been because of the sadness in his own heart.
What remains unknown is whether the little girl was actually one of his children or made from his imagination.
Despite his major success as an artist, Bouguereau certainly had an immense amount of tragedy in his life.
His young, first wife, and mother of his five children, dying was one of them.
In addition, three of the five children died in infancy, according to written accounts.
(It was most probably a print.)
A post about the unidentified painting can be found https://writingstraightfromtheheart.blogspot.com/2019/07/portrait-of-child-and-more.html
Well, the mystery of who painted her is solved, thanks to the Internet.
She is the masterpiece of a French artist, William-Adolphe Bouguereau, who lived from 1825 to 1905, according to written accounts.
The painting is titled "The Story Book," with the original done in oils on canvas.
There are several sites that give details about the life of the successful French painter, Bouguereau.
One excellent source is "The Art Story...Modern Art Insight."
If all the information one gleans is correct, "The Story Book" was painted in 1877, apparently the same year that both the artist's young wife and an infant son died.
It would be perfectly understandable why the artist made the little girl in the painting look so sad. It may have been because of the sadness in his own heart.
What remains unknown is whether the little girl was actually one of his children or made from his imagination.
Despite his major success as an artist, Bouguereau certainly had an immense amount of tragedy in his life.
His young, first wife, and mother of his five children, dying was one of them.
In addition, three of the five children died in infancy, according to written accounts.
So, the mystery of who painted the sad-faced little girl in the painting that hangs in the inn at the top of the stairs is now solved.
ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE WORK OF THE LATE FRENCH ARTIST WILLIAM-ADOLPHE BOUGUEREAU?
ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE WORK OF THE LATE FRENCH ARTIST WILLIAM-ADOLPHE BOUGUEREAU?
6 comments:
I do not familiar with him - but now I am - I love reading and learning about these kinds of things. Thank you. I enjoy more learning now then when I was younger.
No wonder she was sad.
I think back then they had more to be sad about - the death and mortality rate was bad!
Hope you have a nice day.
Sandie♥
No I've never heard of him but it is a lovely painting.
Merle.......................
Never heard of him...but I may if I sign up for an art history class next semester at the emeritus program here in my city.
This is interesting, Susan, and I'm glad you found out a little bit about the painting. She's so sweet, and there's such innocence about the child. As you know, I've liked this painting for a very long time. : )
~Sheri
You always provide interesting facts and images, Susan.
What a sad, sweet face! And no, I'm not familiar with the painting or the painter. Thanks for sharing some interesting bits and pieces of his life and work.
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