William-Adolphe Bouguereau Cut Glass Pitcher

This exquisite engraved and cut glass pitcher bears frolicking figures from the oeuvre of the undisputed master of Academic art, William-Adolphe Bouguereau. The American Brilliant Period cut glass artisans pushed the boundaries of traditional glassmaking techniques, leading to a remarkable revolution in the world of glassware. While many craftsmen excelled in this art form, very few could expertly reproduce the intricate designs of the great fine artists who preceded them. Encountering a creation such as this with a perfectly rendered design after the renowned Academic artist William-Adolphe Bouguereau is exceptionally rare. The elegant hand-engraved pitcher, adorned with exquisitely cut-glass handles, showcases a delightful frosted glass design of neoclassical nymphs and winged putti taken from Bouguereau’s masterpiece Le Guêpier (The Wasp's Nest), painted in 1892. The glass artisan added a bounty of lush foliage to frame the scene, while the pitcher's scalloped lip and cut-glass bas