Bather.(c1870) William Bouguereau.
William Bouguereau Bather. Baigneuse (1870)
If you found the content on this page helpful, or have used any of the images. Please consider providing a link or making a small donation. Thank you
This painting of a young nude female by William Bouguereau titled Baigneuse (Bather) features a beautiful young woman preparing to bathe in the water at her feet. Her slender figure, small rounded breasts, 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 staring at you provocatively from out of the picture as if she were staring down a lens, almost inviting you to watch her while she slips into the water. She has her arms raised above her head as she adjusts her hair, appearing almost to be preparing to tie it with the hair that is draped loosely over her right wrist and through her hand.
Bouguereau was a master at portraying the female nude and used beautiful young provactive woman in a sensual almost sexual manner to invite you into the piece.
It is my opinion that Bouguereau used the same models for some of his pieces.
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) reinforcing my belief that this was the case.
William Bouguereau.Young worker 1869
The above account is my interpretation of the work and should in no way be taken as fact.
If you found the content on this page helpful, or have used any of the images. Please consider providing a link or making a small donation. Thank you