William-Adolphe Bouguereau

dolphe Bouguereau’s paintings blend Romantic and Neo-Classical themes into a style that art historian Robert Rosenblum called "idealized realism", which he famously called the "painting of sweetness". This style has been seen as a reaction against naturalism. Grandeur and idealization were important for him, as well as other academic artists of the time like John Singer Sargent. He was born in La Rochelle, France, on 30 November 1825, into a family of wine and olive oil merchants. The son of Théodore Bouguereau (born 1800) and Marie Bonnin (1804), known as Adeline, William was brought up a Catholic. William-Adolphe Bouguereau was born in La Rochelle, France, on 30 November 1825, into a family of wine and olive oil merchants. The son of Théodore Bouguereau (born 1800) and Marie Bonnin (1804), known as Adeline, William was brought up a Catholic.