 |
| Amour voltigeant sur les eaux (Cupid Flying over Water) 66⁷⁄₈ X 40 in. |
Hirschl & Adler Galleries in New York City is hosting an exhibit titled Bouguereau & His Milieu, on view until April 30th of this year. There appears to be only eight pieces in the show, with five of those paintings by William Adolphe Bouguereau (1825-1905), and the remaining three by his contemporaries Felicie Schneider (1831-1888), Henri Gerveux (1852-1929), and Jules Joseph Lefebvre (1836-1911). Though the presentation is small, the quality of the works is good, and any opportunity to see so many paintings by Bouguereau in one setting should not be missed.
A couple of the paintings by Bouguereau in the exhibit are from the collection of Fred and Sherry Ross, the New Jersey couple who have made a concentrated effort to restore the 19th century artist to his rightful place in art history. Not only is Fred Ross the driving force behind the Art Renewal Center, the internet's largest online museum, but he is also the co-author of the recently-printed William Bouguereau Catalog Raisonné. It is odd therefore that Hirschl & Adler did not rely more on Mr. Ross for his input on the show's online description; it is unlikely that he would agree with the gallery's insinuation that Andy Warhol, Chuck Close, and John Currin are somehow responsible for the public's renewed interest in Bouguereau. So where the show should not be missed, the accompanying online commentary on the show can be skipped altogether.
 |
| Baigneuse assise (Bather Sitting or The Bather) 25¼ X 16¼ in. |
 |
| La palme (The Palm Frond or Palm Leaf) 39³⁄₈ X 22¹⁄₂ in. |
 |
| Jeune bergère debout (Young Shepherdess Standing) 62 X 28⁷⁄₈ in. |
Hirschl & Adler Galleries is located in the Crown Building, 730 Fifth Avenue, in Manhattan. It is open from 9:30 - 5:30 Tuesday through Friday, and from 9:30 to 4:45 PM on Saturday. Sundays and Mondays, the gallery is closed.
 |
| Jeunes Bohémmiennes (Gypsy Girls) 65³⁄₈ X 39 in. |
5 comments:
This looks like an amazing show. Wow!
Thanks for posting.. wish I lived closer!
I worry that the majority of Bouguereau paintings are over cleaned. This was the case with several works on display. Two, had a glossy coat of varnish with obscured re-cleanings. The real find was a picture owned by a famous photorealist artist called La Palme. She has owned this painting since at the very least, the early eighties. It was consummate and should be snatched up by a savvy collector. Unfortunately, the majority of paintings were loaned by Fred Ross, the author emeritus of the Bouguereau book, and the pricetag, off the charts and unpublished.
I must add that the painting, not the artist, was called La Palme. Every inch, was Bouguereau. The other paintings, while great, had some minor issues. Please pay attention to the sculptures that dotted the show. They were well chosen and in immaculate condition.
Post a Comment