Prêtresse De Bacchus 1894

This painting of a "Priestess of Bacchus" was made by William Bouguereau, a leading figure in the French academic painting of the 19th century. Bouguereau, an establishment figure, was known for idealizing subjects, especially women, from mythology and religion. The image shows a young woman draped in classical robes and holding a staff, the thyrsus, that indicates her allegiance to the god of wine. This is an allegorical figure, not a portrait, and we can understand it in the context of French social and cultural norms. It idealizes feminine beauty according to a classical model. As historians, we would want to understand how these works were displayed and received in the French Salons. What was the relation between academic art and the emerging avant-garde in France at this time? The answers to these questions help us understand the politics of imagery in the late 19th century.