Continuing previous post (after request to clones to save me from some typos and broken links).

For the benefit of the few "truly interested:"

I would like to know which of the "La Tricoteuse" paintings was sold, since Bouguereau painted four (at least) by that name, in 1869, 1879, 1882, 1884, and they are each quite different. Only the 1879 was reported as being held by a "private collection," and the museums (all 3 in the US) that reportedly had the other three would likely have stirred up about the same fuss as the MIA did, had they proposed publicly to sell. I would guess that it was the 1879 that was sold.

I haven't been able to identify the La Fille du pecuer, but would have to assume from the price that it probably was a "study" (that I may have seen under a different name) and not "finished" as a regular painting. The Etude would be a "sketch," or "study," although quite possible in oil. A "package" of 5 very small sketchbooks by Bouguereau sold in Paris in November of 2003 were expected to bring "no more than" $4,500 (US equiv), but sold for "$26,000 plus premium" (about $30,000 US net) with the winning bidder losing out to the Louvre who exercised their right of "obligatory pre-emption" to match the winning bid and take them home. Since French law prevents anyone but French licensed dealers from bidding at their auctions, the price might have been doubled (by some credible estimates) with open bidding.

Bouguereau Bohémienne 1890 is the painting that started this flap – at the bottom of the page (PAGE 10 of Bouguereau at ARC) – the Hi Res image that you get if you click the "Hi Res" bar at the bottom of the thumbnail is 1,483 KB, .jpg. If you just want to look, you can click on the thumbnail itself to get a "normal resolution" enlargement, which is "only" 298 KB. [Music connection: she's holding a nice violin, and is apparently a "street busker" resting for a moment.]

From the ARC homepage: "ARC is proud to offer 24" x 30" custom fine prints of Bohémienne at the affordable price of $142 each. A special high resolution print of this masterpiece is also available for $212." Nearly all ARC images are available at similar prices, and while somewhat more expensive than "common prints," these are "gallery quality," and the prices are quite competitive with other sources of similar quality stuff. Less expensive prints are also available there, for most images.

Once you're in the ARC Bouguereau Gallery, it's probably easiest just to click to another page there, but links to the pages for the suspects as the "other Bouguereau" that sold are located:
Bouguereau Tricoteuse 1884 should be the fourth image down on the page - PAGE 2 of Bouguereau at ARC.
Bouguereau Tricoteuse 1882 should be the sixth picture on this page - PAGE 3 of Bouguereau at ARC.
Bouguereau Tricoteuse 1879 should be the fourth picture on this page - PAGE 4 of Bouguereau at ARC.
Bouguereau Tricoteuse 1869 is the second picture on this page - PAGE 11 of Bouguereau at ARC.

I can't be certain, but the 1879 Tricoteuse ("The Knitter," or sometimes "Little Knitter") seems most likely to be the one sold for $620,000 last Thursday. ARC's loose sort by "quality" places this one as the "third most significant" of Bouguereau paintings with this name, but that's a very "loose" classification. Possibly the 1882, held by an "endowed gallery" (i.e. maybe not using public funds for this work?) at Appleton Museum of Art, Florida University, Ocala, Florida, would be next most likely, although without more information one guess is as good as the next.

The MIA has pulled it's web image of Le Bohemienne, but still has a small .jpg of Temptation there. Both were about 15 KB in the largest size available from them. They allow you to "zoom in" for a slightly higher resolution of "pieces" of their images, but it's quite labor intensive to reassemble the higher res chunks. Temptation is the one that Mr. Noon says is a better representation of Bouguereau's work. He's entitled to his opinion. It is a theme used fairly often by Bouguereau, but is not necessarily one that is "characteristic" in the opinion of many.

There is a much better image of La tentation (Temptation) at the W. A. Bouguereau site, but you'll have to "click your way" to it. Select "Paintings" on the left side of the page, then "1880" from the drop-down list. Scroll about half way down. The picture can be enlarged, by clicking on it, but will "snap back" if you click again on the enlarged view. You can right click on the enlarged view if you want to save it. (50 KB .jpg).

John