The artwork “Study of the Head of Elize,” created by William-Adolphe Bouguereau between 1895 and 1896, is an oil painting on canvas. It measures 46 x 38 cm and belongs to the Academicism art movement. As a sketch and study genre piece, it is currently held in a private collection.
This finely executed study showcases a profile view of a young woman, her head tilted slightly downward, and her gaze directed forward. The artist has masterfully captured the delicate contours of her features, rendering the soft subtleties of her skin tones with great precision. Her dark hair is swept back, loosely coiled in an elegant bun that reveals just a hint of texture and volume. The piece emphasizes the graceful curves of her neck and shoulders, bathed in a gentle interplay of light and shadow that highlights Bouguereau’s consummate skill in the academic tradition. The background is rendered in warm, muted tones, allowing the viewer’s attention to remain firmly on the serene and introspective aspect of the subject’s visage.
