Bouguereau Paintings
1825 - 1905 France, Academic Classicism
L'Amour et Psyche, enfants [Cupid and Psyche as Children], 1889
Oil on canvas, 47.05 x 27.95 inches [119.5 x 71 cm]
Private collection Mythological Art
Bouguereau's paintings values in the market place have literally exploded; from paintings selling for and average $500 to $1500 in the 1950s, to where in the last six years alone his auction records have been broken another 4 times. In 1998 The Hearts Awakening sold for $1,410,000 at Christies New York. In 1999 Cupid and Psyche, Enfants sold for $1,760,000 also at Christies to be surpassed the very next day at Sothebys when Alma Perens owned by Sylvester Stalone sold for $2,650,00. That record only lasted one year until May of 2000, when Charite sold $3,520,000 back at Christies. Over the last 20 years Bouguereau's paintings all over the world have been taken out of their crates, basements, storage rooms and attics, dusted off, many cleaned and expertly restored, and today over a hundred museums and institutions proudly have paintings of Bouguereau on permanent exhibit.
