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April 13, 2017
Mid-Morning Open Thread
[When I Want An Art Critic's Opinion I'll Beat It Out Of Him]
Breton Brother and Sister
William Bouguereau
This is gorgeous. And a testament to the concept that good things come to those who work hard.
Sorry "performance artists" and "installation artists" and "Three Used Tissues And A Broken Tea Cup artists." This guy worked hard at being an artist, and he succeeded.
Based on sketches Bouguereau made while summering in Brittany in the late 1860s, this picture was completed in the artist's studio in 1871. His young models, posed in traditional Breton costumes, epitomize pastoral sibling affection. This type of scene was quickly snapped up by American collectors, earning Bouguereau fame and fortune. As one critic explained, "Whoever gets a picture by [him] gets the full worth of his money, in finished painting, first-rate drawing, and a subject and treatment that no well-bred person can...fault."
[Hat Tip: Hyacinthoides non-scripta]