The elder sister 1886

William Bouguereau created this painting, called 'The Elder Sister', with oil on canvas. It depicts an older girl holding a younger child. The painting comes out of a late-nineteenth-century France in which the art world was highly institutionalized, and art was seen as an important tool for shaping social values. Bouguereau was a celebrated academic painter, who came to represent traditional values, so, in many ways, this genre scene, emphasizes the importance of family and domesticity. The bare feet of the girls, their modest clothing, and the natural setting all contribute to the painting's sentimental and idealized depiction of rural life. Bouguereau's technical skill is clear but his work has often been critiqued for reinforcing bourgeois norms. By studying paintings such as this in their social and historical context, we can better understand the role that art has played in shaping cultural values and beliefs.