This painting was created as a study of the painting methods of William-Adolphe Bouguereau, based on his 1879 work The Bather.

I was particularly interested in exploring Bouguereau’s refined approach to figure painting — the subtle modelling of the body, delicate transitions of light and shadow, and careful observation of form. Working from his painting provided an opportunity to study the techniques behind the smooth, luminous quality characteristic of his work.

This study formed part of my ongoing exploration of traditional European painting methods and my interest in learning from the techniques of the great academic painters.