“At the Edge of the Brook” by William-Adolphe Bouguereau

“At the Edge of the Brook”

This lovely oil on canvas painting is by French Academic artist, William-Adolphe Bouguereau from 1879 and is called “At the Edge of the Brook”. This is one of his many portraits of peasant children which was done in the academic style quite popular in France in the mid-late nineteenth century and is actually one of two paintings he did that had the same name.

Bouguereau had a lot of empathy for the hard-working life of the peasants of his country and his work sought to soften the harsh criticism that they endured during his day. Bouguereau had a talent for beautifying the sitter while retaining their likeness, and this painting highlights that skill.

His style was realistic, but his subjects were generally mythological and classical. It was for this reason that he was hated and loved during his lifetime. Many critics applauded his talent and reverence for classical subjects, while the up-and-coming Impressionist artists saw him and his work as old-fashioned.

“At the Edge of the Brook” is currently in a private collection.

For more on William-Adolphe Bouguereau, please visit his short biography here.

You can find more artists to learn about here.