William-Adolphe Bouguereau

This is not my kind of favourite style, by miles. But I cannot help being impressed by the realism, the typical "it does look like a photo" effect. He died in 1905 when art had already gone in other directions so he must have been quite old fashioned even then. Curiously Wikipedia says in the matter: "Bouguereau’s career was a nearly straight up ascent with hardly a setback.^[17] To many, he epitomized taste and refinement, and a respect for tradition. To others, he was a competent technician stuck in the past. Degas and his associates used the term “Bouguereauté” in a derogatory manner to describe any artistic style reliant on “slick and artificial surfaces”,^[17] also known as a licked finish. In an 1872 letter, Degas wrote that he strove to emulate Bouguereau’s ordered and productive working style, although with Degas' famous trenchant wit, and the aesthetic tendencies of the two Impressionists, it is possible the statement was meant to be ironic^[18].

Bouguereau’s works were eagerly bought by American millionaires who considered him the most important French artist of that time.^[12] But after 1920, Bouguereau fell into disrepute, due in part to changing tastes and partly to his staunch opposition to the Impressionists who were finally gaining acceptance. For decades following, his name was not even mentioned in encyclopedias."

But I don't think he was that bad and he should be mentioned in encyclopedias and to make a point here his own self-portrait.