William-Adolphe Bouguereau

French academic painter (1825–1905)

† 1905 · Artists · Painter in the permanent collections of Art Institute of Chicago, Musée d'Orsay, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Uffizi Gallery, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Philadelphia Museum of Art, J. Paul Getty Museum, Cleveland Museum of Art, Museum of Fine Arts Boston; cross-wiki notability: 58 language Wikipedias

In the collections of

Art Institute of Chicago · Musée d'Orsay · Metropolitan Museum of Art · Uffizi Gallery · Los Angeles County Museum of Art · Philadelphia Museum of Art · J. Paul Getty Museum · Cleveland Museum of Art · Museum of Fine Arts Boston

License & source

Public domain · Wikidata

Life

William-Adolphe Bouguereau was born on November 30, 1825 in La Rochelle and died on August 19, 1905 in La Rochelle, aged 79. Recorded occupations: painter. Country of citizenship: France. Positions held include chairperson. Associated movements: academic art and Pont-Aven School. Fields of work: painting. Notable works include “The Birth of Venus”, “Dante and Virgil in Hell”, “Nymphs and Satyr”, “The Shepherdess”, “The First Mourning” and “The Elder Sister”. Educated at Beaux-Arts de Paris and French Academy in Rome. Honours include Prix de Rome, Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour, Knight of the Legion of Honour, Officer of the Legion of Honour, Commander of the Legion of Honour and Commander of the Order of Isabella the Catholic. Member of Académie des beaux-arts and Fondation Taylor.

At a glance

Born: November 30, 1825 · La Rochelle
Died: August 19, 1905 · La Rochelle
Age at death: 79
Citizenship: France
Occupations: painter
Positions held: chairperson
Movements: academic art, Pont-Aven School
Notable works: The Birth of Venus, Dante and Virgil in Hell, Nymphs and Satyr, The Shepherdess, The First Mourning, The Elder Sister
Education: Beaux-Arts de Paris, French Academy in Rome
Honours: Prix de Rome, Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour, Knight of the Legion of Honour, Officer of the Legion of Honour, Commander of the Legion of Honour, Commander of the Order of Isabella the Catholic
Wikipedia editions: 58 languages
Signature licence: Public domain

About this signature

This image of William-Adolphe Bouguereau's signature comes from Wikimedia Commons (Wikidata P109 signature file). Its licence is recorded as Public domain. It is linked to the person through Wikidata property P109 (signature), which ties a documented individual to a specific archived file. We show the file as published and do not redraw or retouch it. Public-domain signature; painter deceased since 1905 (>50 yr): no copyright or right-of-publicity exposure. Works held by 9 major museums.

Biographical facts: Wikidata Q483992 (CC0), retrieved 2026-10-13. Read more about William-Adolphe Bouguereau on Wikipedia.

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