Video from William Graff
"Adolphe-William Bouguereau (1825–1905)
The career of William Bouguereau, unlike that of his contemporaries, the then avant-garde Impressionists, was one of ever-increasing success without significant setback. He was born on the west coast of France into a family of wine (later olive oil) merchants and was given a classical education by his uncle Eugène, a curate, who tutored him in bible study, Latin and Greek, with particular reference to Old and New Testament stories and classical mythology. He also arranged for him to take drawing lessons and such was his ability that after only 2 years of part-time study, he won first prize in the figure-painting class at the Bordeaux Ecole des Beaux-Arts...' from the website: Williambougereau.com
"Although well known for his paintings of peasant girls and mythological scenes, has also become one of the most beloved religious painters of all times. As a devout catholic, Bouguereau, as so many other religious painters, viewed his work as a form of worship both of God and of his most beloved creation, mankind. Bouguereau's love of Christ can be clearly seen in his religious paintings for which he took no short cuts and spared no time and dedication in creating. In the weeks leading up to the holidays, it seems an appropriate time to revisit some of these most important religious works..." from the article: William Bouguereau and his Religious Works by Kara Lysandra Ross