1874, William Bouguereau, Homer and His Guide -- National Gallery of Art (Washington) (special exhibition)
From the museum/exhibition label:
Salon 1874, no. 233
Bouguereau's art embodies the academic style most associated with the Salon. Its subject is based in classical antiquity and executed with crisp drawing and precise, almost invisible brushwork. For his depiction of the ancient Greek poet Homer, Bouguereau drew inspiration from a work by the 18th-century French poet André Chenier. In The Blind Man, Chenier recounted how young shepherds offered to guide Homer after hearing the blind poet pray for assistance. The lyre, the stringed harp-like instrument carried on Homer's back, hints at the traditional practice of setting epic poetry to music.
1874, William Bouguereau, Homer and His Guide -- National Gallery of Art (Washington) (special exhibition)
From the museum/exhibition label:
Salon 1874, no. 233
Bouguereau's art embodies the academic style most associated with the Salon. Its subject is based in classical antiquity and executed with crisp drawing and precise, almost invisible brushwork. For his depiction of the ancient Greek poet Homer, Bouguereau drew inspiration from a work by the 18th-century French poet André Chenier. In The Blind Man, Chenier recounted how young shepherds offered to guide Homer after hearing the blind poet pray for assistance. The lyre, the stringed harp-like instrument carried on Homer's back, hints at the traditional practice of setting epic poetry to music.