Artwork
Young Mother Gazing at Her Child
Young Mother Gazing at Her Child is an oil painting by the Academic Art artist William Adolphe Bouguereau. It dates from 1871 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is a young woman dressed in traditional Ciociaro costume, a regional attire that anchors the subject in a particular cultural context.
The painting depicts an intimate domestic scene featuring a mother and her child within an interior setting. The central figure is a young woman dressed in traditional Ciociaro costume, a regional attire that anchors the subject in a particular cultural context. Created by William-Adolphe Bouguereau in 1871, the work focuses on the tender interaction of the mother gazing at her infant.
As a representative piece of the Academic art movement, the composition emphasizes the idealized bond of maternity, combining the universal theme of maternal care with specific ethnographic details that present the mother as a figure rooted in the customs of the Ciociaria region.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1871, this work is an oil painting on canvas by William-Adolphe Bouguereau, a leading figure of the Academic art movement. The piece measures 142.2 by 102.9 centimeters and depicts an interior scene featuring a mother and child, with the female figure dressed in a Ciociaro costume. As an example of Academic style, the composition focuses on the intimate interaction between the subjects within a domestic setting.
The application of oil paint on a woven canvas support allowed for the smooth finish and detailed realism characteristic of Bouguereau's technique during this period.
History & Provenance
William-Adolphe Bouguereau executed the oil-on-canvas painting Young Mother Gazing at Her Child in 1871. The work measures 142.2 by 102.9 centimeters and depicts a mother and child in an interior, the woman dressed in Ciociaro costume. It is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The painting has been included in the exhibition Bouguereau & America, which highlighted the artist's reception in the United States. The available records do not specify an accession number or further details of its commission and early ownership.
Overview
William-Adolphe Bouguereau completed Young Mother Gazing at Her Child in 1871 using oil paint. This work presents an intimate domestic scene, featuring a mother in traditional Ciociaro dress tenderly holding her infant indoors. The painting exemplifies Bouguereau's characteristic approach to genre subjects, blending a sense of realism with an underlying classical idealization. It reflects the precise draftsmanship and smooth finish valued in academic circles of the period.
Context
As a prominent figure in French academic painting, William-Adolphe Bouguereau enjoyed considerable success and critical recognition during his lifetime. His adherence to traditional methods, emphasizing classical composition and refined finish, positioned him at the forefront of the established art world. This approach, however, stood in stark contrast to the emerging Impressionist movement of the same era, which challenged academic conventions and later led to a reevaluation of Bouguereau's highly traditional style.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
William-Adolphe Bouguereau (French pronunciation:; 30 November 1825 – 19 August 1905) was a French academic painter.
