“The Little Beggar” is an oil on canvas artwork by William-Adolphe Bouguereau, created in 1880. The piece, which belongs to the art movements of Academicism and Naturalism, measures 116.84 x 73.66 cm and falls under the portrait genre.
The artwork portrays a young girl with dark hair, seated on a stone ledge, extending her hand in a pleading gesture. She is barefoot and clad in traditional, modest attire, featuring a blouse, a colorful skirt, and an ornamented apron, which are rendered in meticulous detail. The background reveals a rugged and somewhat desolate landscape, suggesting a rural setting. The girl’s expression, combined with her outstretched hand, evokes a sense of melancholy and hardship, capturing the viewer’s empathy towards her plight. The artist’s use of natural light and realistic textures heightens the emotional and visual impact of the scene.
