A Finding Aid to the Elizabeth Gardner Bouguereau Papers, 1853-1977, bulk 1864-1920, in the Archives of American Art
AAA.bougeliz
Biographical/Historical note
Painter Elizabeth Gardner Bouguereau (1837-1922) lived and worked in Paris, France. Bouguereau was born in Exeter, New Hampshire, graduated from the Lasell Female Seminary in Auburndale, Massachusetts, in 1856, and taught French at the Worcester School of Design and Fine Arts. In the summer of 1864, she travelled to Paris with a former art instructor, Imogene Robinson, with the intention of furthering her art studies. Upon arrival, they copied paintings at the Luxembourg Museum and Bouguereau studied in a number of studios, including the studio of Jean-Baptiste Tissier, a cooperative women's studio, and the École Jardin des Plantes. In 1868, she gained entry to the Paris Salon, one of only six women invited to participate before 1870.
Bouguereau painted in the academic French style, which depicted popular subjects such as country life, biblical scenes, and children and animals. In 1973, she gained entry to the acclaimed Académie Julian, where her instructors included Jules-Joseph Lefebvre and Adolphe William Bouguereau, whom she would later marry in 1896. Bouguereau was the first American woman to be awarded a medal by the Salon, winning a bronze medal in 1887 for
The Farmer's Daughter
. She also won medals at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition and the 1889 Paris Universal Exposition. After her marriage to Adolphe Bouguereau, she ceased painting to care for her husband and resumed only after his death in 1905. She continued to produce works until 1914, when her failing eyesight forced her to stop, and died in her country home in St. Cloud, France in 1922.
Scope and Contents note
The papers of painter Elizabeth Gardner Bouguereau measure 0.4 linear feet and date from 1853 to 1977, with the bulk of the material dating from 1864 to 1920. Found within the papers are correspondence written to Bouguereau's immediate family; clippings and miscellaneous printed material; and photographs of Bouguereau and her husband Adolphe.
The Elizabeth Gardner Bouguereau papers were donated between 1983 and 1986 by Bouguereau's grandniece, Miriam Gardner Dunnan.
Processing Information note
Materials received a preliminary level of arrangement at some point after donation and were later microfilmed on reels 3464 and 3967. The collection was processed to a minimal level and a finding aid prepared by Judy Ng in 2014, with funding provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art. The Archives of American Art has implemented minimal processing tactics when possible in order to increase information about and access to more of our collections.
Minimal processing included arrangement to the series and folder levels. Generally, items within folders were simply verified with folder titles, but not arranged further. The collection was rehoused in archival containers and folders.
Image assets for this folder have not been fully processed.
We apologize for any inconvenience.
