Painter William Adolphe Bouguereau
William-Adolphe Bouguereau was a French academic painter whose paintings were of a realist genre, using mythological themes, creating modern interpretations of classical themes, and emphasizing women's bodies. The theme of a young man in a window peeking out at a woman sitting at a spinning wheel, wearing clothes and decor that evoke the German sixteenth century, suggested a connection between this painting and the tragic tale of Faust and Margaret.
The story of the villainous Faust, who seduces the naive heroine Marguerite, attracted notable attention in the nineteenth century, influenced by Goethe's dramatic poem and its operatic adaptation by Charles Gounod. Regardless of the personalities of the lovers, the romantic, richly colored painting may have resonated with Bouguereau's influential patrons.
The painting is oil on canvas, size 163/111 cm, produced in 1872, collections of the Metropolitan Museum.
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