Reflexion

by Delaynna Trim, Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art Curator

The other day I found myself standing in front of Bouguereau’s Reflexion with the purple irises and the greenery surrounding the woman reminding me of Spring. 

Bouguereau’s Reflexion 

William Adolphe Bouguereau was known for his realistic paintings, many featuring beautiful young women. They are so realistic that if you look closely at Reflexion, you can see blue veins in her hands. He liked painting mythological scenes or images reminiscent of Greek and Roman times. He also painted some religious works.

William Bouguereau was born in La Rochelle, France in 1825 to a family of wine and olive oil merchants. He studied for the priesthood for a time at a Catholic college in Pons. There Luis Sage taught him to draw and paint. When he returned home, a local artist named Charles Marionneau encouraged him to join the Municipal School of Drawing and Painting in 1841. In order to go to Paris to further his art, he sold 33 portraits in 3 months. Once in Paris, he became a student at the École des Beaux-Arts.

He won the Prix de Rome in 1850, which meant that he won a three-year residence at the Villa Medici where he learned to appreciate classical and Renaissance art.

William’s second wife, Elizabeth Jane Gardner, was also an artist. In fact, she modeled her painting style after his style. She, like the artist Rosa Bonheur, applied for a permit from the Paris police to be able to wear pants while working. France had outlawed the wearing of trousers by women in 1800. This law was only repealed at the beginning of the 20th century, though it had not been enforced for a while.

The model in Reflexion is wearing a garment similar to a Greek chiton. It is a piece of fabric that is fastened at the shoulders typically with a fibula, an early type of brooch or pin. Both men and women wore types of chitons, and they continued wearing them into the Roman times. There are several different forms and styles to wear the chiton.

The purple irises can symbolize respect, wisdom, strength, courage, and dignity. The ivy represents fidelity, enduring love, and eternal life.

The young woman in Reflexion seems to be contemplating a love by the way that she has her hands near her heart while looking into the distance. That is reinforced by the symbolism of the plants surrounding her. The title then confirms that she is reflecting on something, which we assume to be love.

For videos on how to create tissue paper flowers and other floral crafts visit, mgmoa.org/art-projects/

Tissue Paper Flowers

Materials: tissue paper, pipe cleaner, scissors

1. Cut the tissue paper into 12 x 6” sheets.

2. Stack the tissue paper.

3. Starting with the short edge, make a 1” fold accordion style. Turning your tissue paper stack over for the next fold, then turn it back for the fold after that. Continue until you have folded to the end of the paper.

4. Shape the flower by rounding the ends of the folded tissue paper strip with your scissors.

5. Fold the strip in half and place the pipe cleaner at the fold.  Loop the pipe cleaner around the middle and twist it to secure.

6. Gently peel the layers apart and see the flower emerging!