Reproduction of William-Adolphe Bouguereau painting?--Would love help

Hello. Based upon the tags/stickers on the back of this painting and frame, combined with the little bit of research I did on the internet, this appears to be some sort of reproduction of a painting by an artist by the name of William-Adolphe Bouguereau; the name of the painting is Little Beggers. The frame has a sticker from Woodward & Lothrop Art Pictures and Picture Frame Dept., which the internet indicates was a historic department store in Washington, D.C. There is some writing in pencil on the back of the frame as well (perhaps someone's name and some dimensions??)--hard to read. The picture itself is approx. 5 3/8" x 3 3/4". The entire framed picture is approx. 8 3/4" x 7 1/8". This is something my parents had....I do not have any idea where they obtained it....they loved antiques and acquired a lot of things at garage sales, estate sales and antique shops over the years. Would love to know more information about it--any help would be appreciated! Thank you.

 

Isn't that sweet?

As late as the 1960s... artists were allowed to set up easels in museum galleries and copy paintings. Artists also reproduced paintings from b&w prints. Comparing yours to the original which is, as I'm sure you know, in the Syracuse University Art Museum, I see a bit of artistic license so a b&w print may more likely have been the source.

I suspect you have a period souvenir from France, framed at Washington's carriage trade department store some time after 1890 (the year the work was painted.) Bouguereau was, of course, an extremely well-known and well-regarded (Academy) painter in his time so would have been a fashionable purchase. I would think it dates to the first couple decades of the 20th century.

Comparison between originals and copies is always so helpful to train the eye and see why great painters are considered such.

Debora

 

Thank you so much, Debora--very helpful! Do you think there is a market for this item, if I decide to sell it at some point?

 

Oh, yes. Genuine antique. Good size. Pretty frame. Charming subject. I'm sure it would find a good home if you decided to sell.

Debora

 

Very sad though. "Petites mendiantes", little beggar girls. Life was tough for many children in those days.

 

Yes, of course. It's a romanticized image of poverty.

Debora