Three Marys at the Tomb Poster

This is a reproduction of William Adolphe Bouguereau’s “Three Marys at the Tomb”, or “Le Saintes Femmes au Tombeau”. It is typical of the master’s lush Academic style as applied to Christian themes. His photo-realism is beautifully displayed in this Christian masterpiece of the Resurrection. His delicate palate and bold use of light capture both the wonder and concern of the women approaching Christ’s tomb. The angel can be glimpsed in the light-filled interior. The original is currently in a private collection in the United States. Bouguereau was born into a merchant family in 1825 La Rochelle, France. Through the influence of an uncle, he was exposed to Classical studies and attended the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Bordeaux. He began painting portraits and went to Paris, enrolled in the Ecole des Beaux-Arts there and won the Prix de Rome at the age of twenty-five. Bouguereau became completely immersed in the Academic Style and was inspired by Raphael’s work. He married in 1856 and his work and career gained in prestigue and success. He bgan teaching in 1876 and, after the death of his first wife, he married one of his pupils in 1896. His joy in his work is exemplified in his saying, “Each day I go to my studio full of joy; in the evening when obliged to stop because of darkness I can scarecely wait for the next morning to come …if I cannot give myself to my dear painting I am miserable.” He died in 1905 in La Rochelle.