Style Imitating Art: “At the Edge of the Brook”

Style Imitating Art…

Welcome to Style Imitating Art which comes from Salazar, Shelbee, and me. You can think of this series as fashion meets art museum! SIA challenges people to find inspiration in different art works, create looks based upon that art work, and share them with the curator for that piece. I am this week’s curator with an amazing painting! I hope you enjoy this post, the information, and my interpretation.

How it works…

Every other Monday one of us selects an inspiration piece of art and posts the image on their blog. We then invite others to interpret that art work through their style. The following Monday, we share our outfits. The curator shares submissions the following Wednesday on her blog. I chose this week’s art work for this round of Style Imitating Art. If you’d like, you can read why I chose it here. Please send your photo to me by Tuesday, July 15th, 2025 by 10 pm EST. Style Imitating Art is an interesting way to inspire your outfits. You can see a few of my looks here, here, here and here.

The artist…

William-Adolphe Bouguereau was born on November 30, 1825, in La Rochelle, France.  His family were wine and olive oil merchants.  Bouguereau was Roman Catholic and went to live with his Uncle Eugène (who was a priest) at Mortagne-sur-Gironde when he was twelve.  It was there he developed his love for nature, religion, and literature.  In 1839, Bouguereau made his way to Pons where he was going to study for the priesthood.  While there, Louis Sage, who had studied under Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, taught him to draw and paint.  For some reason, he had to leave Pons and returned to his family in Bordeaux.  He began studying at the Municipal School of Drawing and Painting in November 1841.  During his early life, Bouguereau also worked as a shop assistant, hand colored lithographs, and made small paintings.  These paintings were then reproduced using chromolithography which is a fancy way of saying they then made prints of them. 

A little more…

Bouguereau never lacked for confidence and recognized, as did others, he was the best in the class.  He decided to move to Paris to study.  He was already known for his portraiture and sold 33 oils in three months.  He didn’t sign any of those portraits and only one of them has ever been traced.  Paris welcomed Bouguereau in March 1846 when he was twenty.  It was at this point, the budding artist began his transformation into an academic artist.  He enrolled at École des Beaux-Arts, a term used for several different art academies.  Bouguereau also began attending anatomical dissections and studied historical costumes as well as archaeology. 

Academic art…

Academic art was not necessarily a movement.  It was, rather, a way of creating art.  Academic artists, like Bouguereau, used classical techniques and tools and used mythological, historical, and religious themes for their art.  Many of these paintings would have been on a grand scale. In order to become the best, literally and figuratively, academic artist around, Bouguereau was determined to win the Prix de Rome.  This would give him a three year residency at the Villa Medici in Rome.  While there, he would take formal lessons, but he could also visit museums in Italy to study the work of Renaissance artists as well as Greek, Roman, and Etruscan antiquities. 

Continuing…

As an academic artist, Bouguereau would have made many pencil studies and oil sketches of whatever he was painting.  He may have sketched or painted the same portion of a painting several times in an effort to get it just right.  His studies in Italy provided much of the groundwork for this kind of painting.  Bouguereau’s work ended in a “pleasing and accurate rendering of the human form.”  He was well known for his paintings of skin, hands, and feet. 

Still more…

Bouguereau didn’t win the Prix de Rome until his third attempt.  Actually, he also failed on his third attempt with Dante and Virgil.  But, a few months later, Bouguereau was informed he and another had won the prize.  He won with Shepherds Find Zenobia on the Banks of the Araxes.  Bouguereau made the most of his time in Italy.  He walked from Rome to Naples to Capri, Amalfi, and Pompeii.  Bouguereau studied classical literature as well as creating watercolors and sketches of Rome.  The artists he most admired were Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, Titian, Rubens, and Delacroix as well as Greek sculptures.  In 1852, Bouguereau returned to La Rochelle.

A bit more…

One of the big deals in Paris was exhibiting at the Paris salons.  Bouguereau exhibited there his entire working life.  One early reviewer said,

‘M. Bouguereau has a natural instinct and knowledge of contour. The eurythmie {sic}  of the human body preoccupies him, and in recalling the happy results which, in this genre, the ancients and the artists of the sixteenth century arrived at, one can only congratulate M. Bouguereau in attempting to follow in their footsteps … Raphael was inspired by the ancients … and no one accused him of not being original.’

Even more…

Following his time in Italy, Bouguereau became one of the artists in Paris as well as the United States.  He created large paintings of historical figures.  He accepted commissions to pay off his debts from his time in Italy as well as those of his mother.  He bought a home in La Rochelle as well as several farm buildings.  He would travel between there and his Paris studio.  Bouguereau decorated one mansion with nine large paintings of allegorical figures.  He created decorations for chapels and received the Legion of Honour in July 1859.  At this time, his style changed to more realistic and rustic themes rather than the historical paintings and large commissions. 

A little more…

Bouguereau was one of the most well known and influential of the academic artists.  Many of his paintings were sold before they were even finished.  Many went to wealthy Americans.  I found the following to be a kind way of saying he painted not so pretty women and made them pretty: 

“Bouguereau’s graceful portraits of women were considered very charming, partly because he could beautify a sitter while also retaining her likeness (source).”

Many of those portraits remain in private hands today.  As well as painting portraits, Bouguereau also painted for private homes and public buildings.  Sometimes, he painted in his own style; other times, he would paint according to the style of the building.  Again, this added to his reputation.  At times, he would create smaller pieces of his public paintings to sell to his patrons.  The Anunciation is one of those.  Bouguereau finished 822 known paintings, but the location of some remains unknown. 

A skosh more…

One of the things I love about Bouguereau is that he knew exactly what he was doing.  Sure, he loved his work.  He was committed to painting the best he could.  But, he also knew it was what we would call commercial.  He once said,

“’What do you expect, you have to follow public taste, and the public only buys what it likes. That’s why, with time, I changed my way of painting (source).’”

Once Bouguereau was noticed, his career as an artist was assured.  Many believed his painting were traditional, elegant, and distinguished.  His works commanded high prices, too.  Unlike his wealthy patrons, the Impressionists absolutely loathed him as much as others lauded his work.  Edgar Degas, along with Paul Gaugin, called his work “slick and artificial.”  Gaugin even said the only time he smiled upon seeing a Bouguereau painting was when he saw a couple in a brothel!

Academie Julian…

By the 1860s, Bouguereau began working with the Académie Julian, a private art school.  He gave lessons and advice to male and female art students from around the world.  It’s believed he taught drawing and painting to hundreds, if not thousands, of students.  Henri Matisse would end up rebelling against his teaching, but still he probably benefited from the lessons. 

Personal life…

Bouguereau was married twice, first to Nelly Monchablon, one of his models.  They had three children before marrying in 1866.  Most presumed the two were already married.  He was 31; she was 19 when they began living together.  The two had five children together.  His first child, Henriette, was the only one to outlive him.  In 1896, Bouguereau married Elizabeth Jane Gardner, a former pupil.  This was after a 19-year engagement!  She worked as his private secretary and organized his household. 

Death…

Bouguereau died on August 19, 1905, in La Rochelle from heart disease. He was 79 years old.  A Mass was held in La Rochelle, and his body was then sent to Paris for a second ceremony.  He is buried beside Nelly and his children at the family vault at the Montparnasse Cemetery.

Accomplishments…

By the end of the nineteenth century, Bouguereau’s popularity was waning as the Impressionists rose.  From time to time, exhibitions of his works are held around the world.  In 2019, the Milwaukee Art Museum gathered together more than 40 of his paintings which traveled from Milwaukee to Memphis, Tennessee and then to San Diego.  I’m not sure if the traveling portion of this happened due to Covid.  The aim of the exhibit was to “see Bouguereau through the eyes of an age when he was lionized, and Impressionism was dismissed as ‘French freedom.’”  Bouguereau’s works sell for millions and are in many public collections, including the Indianapolis Museum of Art!

The artwork…

The artwork is currently owned by the National Museum of Western Art in Ueno Park, Tokyo, Japan. Strangely, the painting is called The Edge of the River there. It is currently on display and is oil on canvas. The painting measures 53.9 x 33.8 in (137 x 86 cm). It was painted in 1875. The central figure of the painting is a young girl seated by a brook which we can scarcely see. Her eyes draw you in, don’t you think? Her crown of red flowers is more like a halo which could mean spirituality, or it could just mean Bouguereau wanted to include them as part of that academic tradition.  Strangely, there is another painting by Bouguereau entitled At the Edge of the Brook.  That one has two little kids in it. If you google either title, both paintings pop up.  I’m not sure which is the true title.

My interpretation…

Well, this one took a couple of visits into the closet! I ended up with a reverse of our young woman because I don’t have any purple slips. I did try a grey skirt over a purple dress. That just looked silly. But, what I did have was a grey slip and a purple skirt.  It looks like she’s wearing a corset, but I used my leather obi-style belt instead.  One would think I would have a white peasant top in my closet.  One would be wrong. I chose a v neck tee shirt from Old Navy.  It’s funny how much I dislike v necks in other things, but I love them in tee shirts!  My skirt has to surely be vintage by now and is from April Cornell.  The slip is from Gudrun Sjoden.  Overall, I rather like the look!

The Lewk!

Our lovely young lady is barefoot, probably on purpose as Bouguereau was so well known for painting feet and hands (just testing to see if you remember).  So, I am also barefoot!  At first, I was going to just skip the flower crown or headband.  But, it’s such an integral part of the painting.  I went looking around the house and discovered this candle ring.  I’d cut it many years ago to fit on something.  It was the perfect headband!  I added these silver etched earrings from J Jill.

Wrap it up, Marsha!

As you can probably tell, I really like William Adolphe Bouguereau. In some respects, I think he was the right guy in the right place. He didn’t start out intending to be an artist.  And, his abilities work so well with the thinking of the art academies.  On another note, I have really been struggling with my hair.  I just don’t know what to do with my wispy bangs.  You would think I’d know how to do my hair after all these years, right?  So, can we talk? What do you think of the idea of academic art?  Do you think the young woman’s hands and feet are lifelike?  How do you feel about this painting?  Please leave me a comment or two, and we can talk. I promise to respond as quickly as I can.

Don’t forget…

If you want to be included in the Style Imitating Art round up, send me your photo by 10:00 pm EST, Tuesday, July 15th. Photos of everyone participating will appear on my blog on Wednesday, July 16th! If you’re interested in joining us, consider all of your options…the colors, the textures, the feelings they evoke! Come on, give it a try! I think you’ll love it!

Thank you!

I want to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart for reading, commenting, subscribing or emailing! It truly means so much to me! If you’d like to follow me on Instagram, you can find me here.

Affiliate links, discount codes, and such:

Just a reminder that Marsha in the Middle may use an affiliate link. Those links are usually italicized. If you click or make a purchase from an italicized link I provide, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support. I have a code for April Cornell. It’s a one time use only code so I’d save it for when they have sales. The code is MARSHA15 for $15 off $100. Use Marsha12 for 12% off any order of $65 or more at Buykud. I have also become a Halftee Partner. Use the code, MARSHA2098, for 20% off any purchase. I am also an affiliate with Clara Sunwoo. You can use my code, MARSHA10, for 10% off your entire order. In case you didn’t know, bloggers must disclose the use of affiliate links. That’s why I include this in each post

Where you can find me:

Linking up with Nancy’s Fashion Style,  Fine-Whatever, Is This Mutton, Shelbee on the Edge, Chez Mireile, Suzy Turner, and Away from the Blue as well as Deb’s World and A Fresh Cup of Coffee. I also link up with This Blonde’s Shopping Bag, Doused in Pink, I do deClaire, Mummabstylish, Style Splash and Elegantly Dressed and Stylish as well as the Senior Salon Pit Stop (Esme’s Salon) and Slices of Life. Please check out these wonderful ladies and their blogs! I also am a co-host for Ageless Style on the third Thursday of the month and Songful Style on the last Monday of the month. I co-host Traffic Jam Weekend every Thursday with Melynda, Lisa, and Sue. I also host Final Fridays on the last Friday of the month as well as 10 on the 10th on the 10th of the month! I do hope you’ll check out all of these blogs and link parties!

First Name

Last Name

List choice Marsha’s Blog

Email address:

Leave this field empty if you’re human: