The Kiss - William-Adolphe Bouguereau
Archival giclée
Frames arrive ready to hang
Secure checkout
Made to order
Description
A refined 1869 oil painting by William-Adolphe Bouguereau depicting a tender moment between a mother and her child.
William-Adolphe Bouguereau, a prominent figure in the French Academic tradition, completed The Kiss in 1869. This work displays the technical precision and smooth finish characteristic of his output during the mid-nineteenth century. The composition focuses on a mother and child, a recurring subject in his oeuvre, set against a darkened, indistinct foliage background that pushes the figures into the foreground.
The mother wears traditional peasant attire, including a white blouse and a red bodice, while her head is covered by a simple cloth. She leans forward to kiss the child, who stands on a stone ledge. The child holds a small orange, a detail that adds a touch of colour to the otherwise muted palette. Bouguereau employs a soft, diffused light to model the forms, particularly the skin tones of the child, which are rendered with a high degree of naturalism. The artist avoids visible brushstrokes, opting instead for a polished surface that was highly valued by the Académie des Beaux-Arts.
While the scene appears domestic, it adheres to the classical conventions of the period, prioritising balance and idealised beauty over the raw realism favoured by his contemporaries in the Impressionist movement. The interaction between the two figures is gentle, capturing a moment of quiet affection. The stone ledge serves as a physical boundary, separating the figures from the viewer while providing a stable base for the composition. This painting remains a clear example of the refined aesthetic standards maintained by Bouguereau throughout his career, demonstrating his ability to manage complex lighting and anatomical accuracy within a controlled, studio-based environment.
You might also like
Return policy
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.
Shipping
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
The Kiss - 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.
Why Choose Us ?
Damage-free delivery guarantee
Fast Shipping
Museum-Quality Materials
You May Also Like