Biblis

191 years ago William-Adolphe Bouguereau, a French academic painter and traditionalist was born. In his realistic genre paintings he used mythological themes, making modern interpretations of classical subjects, with an emphasis on the female human body. During his life he enjoyed significant popularity in France and the United States, was given numerous official honors, and received top prices for his work.

Bouguereau was reviled by the Impressionist avant-garde and by the early twentieth century his art fell out of favor with the public. In the 1980s, a revival of interest in figure painting led to a rediscovery of Bouguereau and his work. Throughout the course of his life, Bouguereau executed 822 known finished paintings, although the whereabouts of many are still unknown.

Let's talk about the painting. Biblis was the daughter of Miletus of Crete who unfortunately fell in love with her twin brother Caunus. Byblis acknowledged her love for Caunus, and despite her initial efforts to convince herself that her feelings were natural, she realized the inappropriateness of them. Unable to keep her love for Caunus a secret from him any longer, she sent him a long love letter through a servant giving examples of other incestuous relationships between the gods. Disgusted, he ran away. Believing that she could yet make him love her, she was determined to try to woo him once more. The painting depicts a moment where Biblis breaks down in grief after Caunus flees from his sister’s affections. She followed him through much of Greece and Asia Minor until she finally died, worn out by her grief and the long journey. As she had been constantly crying, she was changed into a spring.

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