William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825–1905) was a leading French academic painter and one of the most celebrated artists of the 19th century. Born in La Rochelle, France, he trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and won the prestigious Prix de Rome in 1850, which helped launch his career. Bouguereau became famous for his highly polished technique, refined draftsmanship, and idealized figures, especially in mythological, religious, and sentimental genre scenes. His paintings are known for luminous skin tones, meticulous detail, and smooth finishes that reflect the values of the French Academic tradition. He exhibited regularly at the Paris Salon and achieved major commercial success, attracting collectors in France, Britain, and the United States. Bouguereau also taught at the Académie Julian, where he influenced younger artists, including women who had limited access to other schools. His art combined technical precision with dramatic emotion and classical ideals that appealed to many Salon audiences. He remained a defender of academic training during artistic change across Europe. Although modernist critics later dismissed his work as overly traditional, Bouguereau’s reputation revived in the late 20th century. Today, he is widely recognized for his technical mastery and lasting contribution to academic painting, figurative art, and art education.