“Crossing the Stream” is an oil painting on canvas created by William-Adolphe Bouguereau in 1903. This artwork falls within the Academicism art movement and can be categorized as a genre painting. It illustrates a moment of tender interaction between two figures, meticulously rendered with Bouguereau’s well-known attention to detail and realistic representation.
The artwork depicts a young woman carrying a child on her back as she carefully steps across a stream. The woman’s determined expression and protective posture suggest a sense of responsibility and care. The child, secure and content in her arms, looks backward with a relaxed demeanor. The background reveals a wooded area, imbuing the scene with a natural, serene ambiance. Bouguereau’s masterful use of lighting illuminates the subjects, drawing attention to their expressions and the intricate textures of their clothing and surroundings.
