Wissman, Fronia. BOUGUEREAU. 125 pp. with 67 color plates and 17 color and b&w figures. 4to, wraps. Rohnert Park, Pomegranate Books, 1996.
One of the most reviled and beloved of French 19th-century artists, Adolphe-William Bouguereau was scorned by his critics and adored by his public. His favored subjects - bathers, nymphs, children and shepherdesses - evoke a realm of eternal beauty that was under critical siege by progressive painters in the latter part of the century. The importance of the line coupled with a sensual treatment of form in his painting points to the influence of both David and Ingres. This well-illustrated survey gives a competent overview of his life and career.