Customer Reviews

In the Studios of Paris: William Bouguereau and His American Students

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The catalogue contains fine reproductions and interesting commentary. Of particular interest is Eric M. Zafran's essay William Bouguereau in America , wherein Zafran follows the rise and fall of Bouguereau among American collectors and critics. He includes many direct quotes from contemporary writers which piece together the "roller-coaster" of public opinion about Bouguereau's paintings. After reading the essay, one can understand how Bouguereau fell into disfavor in the 20th century among the cognoscenti, but has never really fallen out of favor with the masses. It would seem that Bouguereau's skill and finesse were such that he became a watershed in the late 19th century, resulting in the reemergence of the tired argument about the vacuity of academic art. Also of interest and delving into more detailed matters about training is Damien Bartoli's essay, "William Bouguereau the Teacher." Bartoli weaves together Bouguereau's warm and generous nature with his goals and ideas about the training of artists. If there is a lacuna in the catalogue, it is that there is little about Bouguereau's actual working method, or those of his students. As is often the case among writers on art, the bulk of information is biographical, which tells an incomplete story. There are also some careless uses of terminology, such as the definition of academies given on page 13, where such works are characterized as sketches. These drawings, as one can see in the four examples included in the exhibition, were careful and meticulous studies. Another term used in the catalogue is style, often in discussions about what Bouguereau's students may have derived from him. Given the mastery of craft demonstrated by Bouguereau, as well as the breadth and number of his works, style seems like a trivial term to characterize what made Bouguereau unique. The exhibition successfully accomplished the goal of showing the wide-reaching influence of Bouguereau in the works of American artists, which are diverse and often non-academic. Though Bouguereau had much less influence on American art than Gérôme, the featured works demonstrate that he trained painters in such a way that, with the exception of Gardner , they pursued their unique artistic visions. One is left, however, with the lingering sense of awe at the master's command and production, which greatly overshadows that of his students.
Congratulations are due both Mr. Peck and The Philbrook Museum of Art for understanding the relevance of this master today and for a superior job in the presentation of the subject. This book will no doubt be a common feature on the shelves of artists, art historians, and collectors.

Steve Armes

Damien Bartoli is an insightful scholar. The essays on Couse and Gardner add a lot to the discourse on nineteenth century painting.

I would recommend that book to William Bouguereau estimators