Premières caresse 1901

William Bouguereau made ‘Premières caresse’ with oil paints. The colours are rich, yet muted, and the brushstrokes are blended so smoothly you can hardly see them. You just know this painting was a process, a labour of love, even though Bouguereau makes it look effortless. Look closely and you’ll see how the light catches the baby's skin, making it glow, so soft. The folds in the mother's dress are painted with such precision, you can almost feel the fabric. Notice the shadow behind her? It’s like Bouguereau wanted to create this whole world, capturing not just what things look like, but how they feel. Bouguereau was a master of realism, but if you compare this piece to Manet or Monet, you can see his work is completely different. He chose to perfect an older style of painting that was all about capturing the idealized, perfect image. His work reminds us that art's less about one right answer and more about the conversation between artists across time.