Marguerite - William-Adolphe Bouguereau
Archival giclée
Frames arrive ready to hang
Secure checkout
Made to order
Description
A refined 1878 portrait by William-Adolphe Bouguereau, depicting a young woman with pearls in an oval composition.
William-Adolphe Bouguereau, a leading figure of the French Academic tradition, painted Marguerite in 1878. The work depicts a young woman in profile, turning her gaze toward the viewer. She holds a string of pearls, which she retrieves from a small box. Her attire consists of a deep red garment, and her hair is adorned with a delicate floral wreath. The composition is oval, a format Bouguereau employed to focus attention on the subject's features and expression.
Bouguereau was known for his technical precision and his ability to render skin tones with a smooth, porcelain-like finish. This painting demonstrates his mastery of light and shadow, particularly in the way the illumination catches the pearls and the fabric of the dress. The dark, neutral background ensures that the figure remains the primary focus. The subject, Marguerite, is rendered with a soft, idealised beauty that was characteristic of the artist's output during the late nineteenth century.
Throughout his career, Bouguereau maintained a strict adherence to the standards of the Académie des Beaux-Arts. His work often featured mythological or domestic subjects, executed with a high degree of finish that minimised visible brushwork. Marguerite is a representative example of his portraiture, where the emphasis lies on clarity of form and a balanced, harmonious composition. The painting reflects the artist's interest in classical aesthetics and his technical rigour, which allowed him to achieve a high level of realism. The subject's direct engagement with the viewer, combined with the tactile quality of the pearls and the fabric, creates a sense of quiet intimacy. This piece remains a clear example of the refined style that defined Bouguereau's professional output in Paris during the height of his career.
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
Marguerite - 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