Sainte Famille (1863) by William Adolphe Bouguereau - Public Domain Catholic Painting
The French artist William-Adolphe Bouguereau concluded the oil painting entitled Sainte Famille, translated as The Holy Family, in the year 1863 and was exhibited in the Paris Salon shortly after. Four years later, the artwork was shown at the Exposition Universelle and later on purchased by Eugénia de Montijo, wife of Napoleon III. This is one of Bouguereau’s beautiful portrayals of the union of the Virgin Mary, with an infant Jesus and Saint John the Baptist. In fact, there are some similarities the children’s posture in the painting entitled La Vierge, L'Enfant Jesus et Saint Jean Baptiste, done later in 1875 also by Bouguereau.