William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825-1905) was a realist, academic painter who enjoyed significant popularity in France and the United States for his classical works. Bouguereau’s focus was the human body, and the female form was the subject matter for the majority of his figure paintings. Fond of a photo-realistic style, Bouguereau devoted his talent into perfecting the figure in accurate form, depth, and detail. “The Bohemian” completed in 1890, is a testament to Bouguereau’s careful attention and dedication to his traditionalist ideals. The painting shows a young woman resting a violin in her lap as she sits on the south bank of the Seine with the Notre Dame cathedral in the distance.