The flying of the genius after William-Adolphe Bouguereau

Deeply rooted in the mythological poetry of the nineteenth century, this luminous composition playfully directs the narrative towards marvelous oriental legends. The observer discovers the extravagant variation named “The flying of the genius”, inspired by the essential original painting of the academic master William-Adolphe Bouguereau. The creator cherished the representation of naive nymphs struggling against divine Love. The addition of magical attributes from the tales of the Arabian Nights metamorphoses this sylvan skirmish into a fantastic and folkloric invocation of a completely different kind.

In the classic version, the young woman defended herself bare-handed against the assaults of a small winged cherub. Now, the female figure sitting in the grass hides half of her face behind a flowing purple veil. The cherub hovering above her is no longer a simple cupid, but a youthful genie wearing a voluminous colorful blue and orange turban adorned with pearls. He brandishes a menacing scimitar in his right hand, while his left hand firmly holds an antique golden lamp from which escapes a thick cloud of smoke. This enchanting fog magically wraps around the two bodies in the green forest.

The exceptional virtuosity of the painter is expressed in the sublime modeling of the cottony smoke that naturally integrates into the atmosphere of the clearing. The careful treatment of colored silks and precious metals illustrates great technical agility on the canvas. This impressive pictorial prowess intensely celebrates the art of visual appropriation.