Première rêverie (English: First Reverie), also known in English as Whisperings of Love, is a painting by nineteenth-century French artist William-Adolphe Bouguereau. The work was completed in 1889 and is held at the New Orleans Museum of Art.
William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825–1905) was a French academic artist who began his career at the École des Beaux-Arts de Paris with depictions of Classical myths and legends, but soon came into demand in France and the United States for portraiture and decorative works. Although his work was ridiculed by contemporary artists such as Edgar Degas and Vincent van Gogh as overly finished and soft, Bouguereau was granted lavish praise during his lifetime, including multiple awards at the Salon de Paris.[1] Of his highly polished, idealistic style, in which he used models with porcelain-like skin and depicted provincial themes,[2] Bouguereau said "There's only one kind of painting. It's the painting that presents the eye with perfection, the kind of beautiful and impeccable enamel you find in Veronese and Titian."[1]
Descriptionedit
Première rêverie, which measures 157.48 x 92.71 cm (62 x 36 1/2 in), features a young woman sitting on rock with a vase beneath her arm and a Cupid whispering into her ear. The model for this painting, whose identity is unknown, also featured in Bouguereau's Boucles d'oreilles (1889–90), Le Travail interrompu (1891; Mead Art Museum), and Daphnis et Chloe.[3][4]
Legacy and provenanceedit
Bouguereau completed Première rêverie in early 1889, naming it Le chant de l'Amour (The Song of Love). In May of that year the work was sold to the art dealership Tooth and Sons and renamed Première rêverie. That August the dealership sold the painting to a person named Groves.[4] The painting was later gifted to the New Orleans Museum of Art by Mr. and Mrs. Chapman H. Hyams; the museum's catalogue lists it as Whisperings of Love.[5]Eyewitness Books' guide to New Orleans lists the painting as one of the top ten exhibits at the museum,[6] and Christie's considers the work one of Bouguereau's more important contemporary paintings.[3]
In late 1889, Gustave Doyen, with some input from the Bouguereau, completed a reduction of Première rêverie; this work, measuring 101 by 58 centimetres (40 in × 23 in), is now housed at the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens.[4] A print of Bougureau's painting, produced by John Douglas Miller, is held at the Art Institute of Chicago under the title The First Whisper of Love;[7] this title had previously been attached to the reduction when it was sold by Tooth and Sons.[4]
In the catalogue raisonné for Bouguereau, Première rêverie has number 1889/06, whereas the reduction is listed as number 1889/06A.[4]
See alsoedit
William-Adolphe Bouguereau gallery
Referencesedit
^ abGrace Glueck (January 6, 1985). "Art View: To Bouguereau, Art was Strickly (sic) 'The Beautiful'". The New York Times. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
^Jason Rosenfeld. "The Salon and The Royal Academy in the Nineteenth Century". Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
^ ab"Boucles d'Oreilles". Christie's. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
^ abcdeDamien Bartoli; Frederick C Ross (2014). William Bouguereau. Vol. 2. Woodridge, NJ: Art Renewal Center. p. 255. ISBN978-1-85149-736-2.
^. noma.org. Archived from the original on June 20, 2012. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
^"The First Whisper of Love". Art Institute of Chicago. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
May 09, 2024
première, rêverie, english, first, reverie, also, known, english, whisperings, love, painting, nineteenth, century, french, artist, william, adolphe, bouguereau, work, completed, 1889, held, orleans, museum, artistwilliam, adolphe, bouguereauyear1889mediumoil,. Premiere reverie English First Reverie also known in English as Whisperings of Love is a painting by nineteenth century French artist William Adolphe Bouguereau The work was completed in 1889 and is held at the New Orleans Museum of Art Premiere reverieArtistWilliam Adolphe BouguereauYear1889MediumOil on canvasDimensions157 48 cm 92 71 cm 62 00 in 36 50 in Contents 1 Background 2 Description 3 Legacy and provenance 4 See also 5 ReferencesBackground editWilliam Adolphe Bouguereau 1825 1905 was a French academic artist who began his career at the Ecole des Beaux Arts de Paris with depictions of Classical myths and legends but soon came into demand in France and the United States for portraiture and decorative works Although his work was ridiculed by contemporary artists such as Edgar Degas and Vincent van Gogh as overly finished and soft Bouguereau was granted lavish praise during his lifetime including multiple awards at the Salon de Paris 1 Of his highly polished idealistic style in which he used models with porcelain like skin and depicted provincial themes 2 Bouguereau said There s only one kind of painting It s the painting that presents the eye with perfection the kind of beautiful and impeccable enamel you find in Veronese and Titian 1 Description editPremiere reverie which measures 157 48 x 92 71 cm 62 x 36 1 2 in features a young woman sitting on rock with a vase beneath her arm and a Cupid whispering into her ear The model for this painting whose identity is unknown also featured in Bouguereau s Boucles d oreilles 1889 90 Le Travail interrompu 1891 Mead Art Museum and Daphnis et Chloe 3 4 Legacy and provenance editBouguereau completed Premiere reverie in early 1889 naming it Le chant de l Amour The Song of Love In May of that year the work was sold to the art dealership Tooth and Sons and renamed Premiere reverie That August the dealership sold the painting to a person named Groves 4 The painting was later gifted to the New Orleans Museum of Art by Mr and Mrs Chapman H Hyams the museum s catalogue lists it as Whisperings of Love 5 Eyewitness Books guide to New Orleans lists the painting as one of the top ten exhibits at the museum 6 and Christie s considers the work one of Bouguereau s more important contemporary paintings 3 In late 1889 Gustave Doyen with some input from the Bouguereau completed a reduction of Premiere reverie this work measuring 101 by 58 centimetres 40 in 23 in is now housed at the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens 4 A print of Bougureau s painting produced by John Douglas Miller is held at the Art Institute of Chicago under the title The First Whisper of Love 7 this title had previously been attached to the reduction when it was sold by Tooth and Sons 4 In the catalogue raisonne for Bouguereau Premiere reverie has number 1889 06 whereas the reduction is listed as number 1889 06A 4 See also editWilliam Adolphe Bouguereau galleryReferences edit a b Grace Glueck January 6 1985 Art View To Bouguereau Art was Strickly sic The Beautiful The New York Times Retrieved June 23 2015 Jason Rosenfeld The Salon and The Royal Academy in the Nineteenth Century Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History Metropolitan Museum of Art Retrieved June 23 2015 a b Boucles d Oreilles Christie s Retrieved June 23 2015 a b c d e Damien Bartoli Frederick C Ross 2014 William Bouguereau Vol 2 Woodridge NJ Art Renewal Center p 255 ISBN 978 1 85149 736 2 Whisperings of Love NOMA New Orleans Museum of Art noma org Archived from the original on June 20 2012 Retrieved July 4 2014 Top 10 New Orleans Eyewitness Books 2012 p 10 ISBN 978 1 4053 7058 5 The First Whisper of Love Art Institute of Chicago Retrieved June 23 2015 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Premiere reverie amp oldid 1181213385, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
