Portrait of Miss Elizabeth Gardner - William-Adolphe Bouguereau
Archival giclée
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Description
A refined 1879 portrait of the American painter Elizabeth Jane Gardner, captured with the technical precision and smooth finish of French Academic painting.
This portrait depicts Elizabeth Jane Gardner, an American painter who studied in Paris and became a significant figure in the French art scene. Painted in 1879, the work displays the technical precision characteristic of William-Adolphe Bouguereau. The artist employs a smooth, polished finish, concealing individual brushstrokes to create a lifelike surface texture.
Gardner is presented in a three-quarter view against a dark, neutral background. Her expression is composed, with a subtle, knowing smile. The lighting is focused on her face, drawing attention to the delicate rendering of her skin and the soft curls of her dark hair. Her attire includes a high-collared lace garment, which provides a contrast to the darker tones of her jacket. The inclusion of dark, oval-shaped jewellery, likely cameos or onyx pieces surrounded by small pearls, adds a sense of formality to the composition.
Bouguereau was a leading proponent of the Academic style, which prioritised rigorous training, anatomical accuracy, and a refined finish. This portrait demonstrates his ability to capture individual character while adhering to the formal constraints of the period. The work reflects the professional relationship between the two artists, as Gardner was a student and later the wife of Bouguereau. The painting remains a clear example of the portraiture traditions prevalent in late nineteenth-century France, where the focus remained on clarity of form and the subtle modulation of light and shadow to define the subject.
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Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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We ship worldwide, printing at the production hub nearest to your delivery address. Delivery times and costs vary by destination — you'll see the options available to you at checkout.
Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Portrait of Miss Elizabeth Gardner - William-Adolphe Bouguereau
Artist Biography
William Adolphe Bouguereau
At the height of his career he was arguably the most commercially successful painter alive. His large-scale nudes, classical mythological scenes, and religious paintings were technically flawless in a way that impressed collectors and enraged the avant-garde in equal measure. The Impressionists despised him as the embodiment of everything academic painting did wrong: slick, idealised, emotionally vacant. After his death in 1905, the avant-garde buried his reputation for nearly a century.
Three of his children died in infancy. Their mother Nelly died in 1877. His mother made him swear, after Nelly's death, never to remarry while she lived. He honoured the oath. His engagement to his student Elizabeth Jane Gardner lasted seventeen years. They married in 1896, after his mother died at ninety-one. Gardner was herself a notable painter, the first American woman to exhibit at the Paris Salon. His reputation has undergone a reappraisal since the late twentieth century.
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