Biblis.
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Biblis. (1884)
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In this painting titled Biblis by William Bouguereau a young woman is portrayed in a wood, in a quiet secluded spot by the side of a pool or stream. The water appears to be shallow and there is gentle movement showing on its surface as it babbles along on its way. The subject is naked, of fare complexion with smooth skin, medium sized breasts, narrow waste and wider hips suggesting that she perhaps has a pear shaped figure. She is leaning on a rock with her hands clasp together in front of her and her head resting on her right arm causing her long chestnut hair to trail on the surface of the water. There is an ere of sadness and quiet contemplation to the piece which Bouguereau has portrayed in her limp body posture and facial expression. Perhaps she has been betrayed by a loved one, or perhaps the betrayal was hers. Could she be wrecked with guilt? or is she just taking time out to gather her thoughts and prepare to face the source of her concern.
I have mentioned before that it is my opinion that Bouguereau used the same subjects in several of his works. I believe the case is so with this piece and a later piece entitled Douleur d'amour (Pain d' love.1899). If you study the facial characteristics of the subject you can see a striking resemblance between the two. They both portray a scene of sadness and quiet contemplation. They also both appear to share the same body type having a narrow waist, medium sized breasts, slightly rounded on the hips and carrying a little weight on the thighs.
Facial detail from Douleur d'amour (1889)
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The above account is my interpretation of the work and should in no way be taken as fact.