#academic art

[meisterdrucke]

William-Adolphe Bouguereau's "The Little Shepherdess" presents rural life as wealthy 19th-century collectors wanted to see it. Barefoot and holding her crook across her shoulders the young shepherdess appears calm immaculate and untouched by the hardships of farm work. Painted in 1889 the work shows Bouguereau's polished academic style at a time when the Impressionists were challenging almost everything it represented. Quelle: meisterdrucke.com

[skribblerbobibbler]

The concept of having to draw men to get better at drawing men… 🫩

[vintage-treasures]

Ophelia. White marble, in a wood frame (1880) Sarah Bernhardt (1844–1923) was highly known for her career as a French stage actress, but she was also a committed sculptor who trained under Jules Franceschi. This high-relief marble depicts the drowning of Ophelia from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, using the smooth stone to trade traditional tragedy for raw sensuality.

Ophelia's serene face and exposed breast blend into the lapping water. Bernhardt produced around fifty documented sculptures, though her practice faced heavy backlash from critics and male peers, including Auguste Rodin, who believed women lacked the capacity to carve stone and that actresses should not cross into fine art. Her friend, the writer Émile Zola, publicly defended Sarah by mocking critics who tried to "prevent the accumulation of talent." Ultimately, her skill proved undeniable, as she achieved critical and commercial success, winning an Honorable Mention at the 1876 Paris Salon and securing high-priced international sales.

Loc. Private Collection (Sold via Sotheby's in 2017). Dim. 70.0 x 59.0 cm (27.5 x 23.25 in.)

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In the Venusberg Tannhauser (1901) by John Collier (1850–1934)

[vesperfields]

"The Flood" (Léon Comerre, c. 1911)

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The three Graces (1830) by William Etty (1787–1849)

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Fantasy (1866) by Pierre Puvis de Chavannes (1824–1898)