Bather. William Bouguereau. Baigneuse (1870)

This painting of a nude by William Bouguereau titled Baigneuse (Bather) features a beautiful young woman preparing to bathe in the water at her feet. Her slender figure, skin tone and facial expression are captured with a photo like quality that only Bouguereau seemed to be able to achieve. Her clothes which appear to be a white tunic and blue cloak are laid casually on the rock behind suggesting that she is not expecting to be disturbed.

Her head is cocked slightly to her left and her eyes seem to be provocatively staring at you from out of the picture almost inviting you to watch as she slips into the water. She has raised her arms above her head and seems be untangling her hair which is draped over her right  wrist and through her hand.

 The above account is my interpretation of the work and should in no way be taken as fact.

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The subject in this earlier work of 1869 entitled, Young worker bears a very similar likeness to the young woman used as the subject in the Bather (1870) suggesting that Bouguereau liked to use the same subjects.

Young Worker (1869)