Bouguereau's Fishing for Frogs makes $1.8m at Dallas auction

Bouguereau's 1882 oil on canvas Fishing for Frogs continues the artist's recent strong showing

William Adolphe Bouguereau's 1882 work Fishing for Frogs sold for $1.8m in Dallas yesterday (May 15), continuing the strong recent interest among collectors for the Frenchman's artwork.

The 54 x 42 inch oil on canvas, signed and dated by the artist, sold comfortably within its $1.5m-2.0m estimate.

Fishing for Frogs made $1.8m

"Arguably the most influential French academic painter, Bouguereau, an exhibitor at the Paris Salon and instructor at the Académie Julian for decades, applied classical compositional tenets to his portraits and mythological, religious, and genre paintings," stated the auction house.

Earlier this month his 1875 work L'Orientale à la grenade (Girl with a Pomegranate) smashed its estimate by 231.7% at Sotheby's, selling for $2.3m.

That result followed the $782,500 achieved on April 23 for Bouguereau's Idylle: famille antique.

Fishing for Frogs was the undoubted star of the American & European Art Auction, although strong performances were found elsewhere.

Renoir's Le Port de Saint-Tropez made $242,500, while Cherokee Roses in a Glass Vase, circa 1883-1888, by US artist Martin Heade, achieved $170,500.

PFC Auctions currently has several stunning artworks available to bidders, including entry-level pieces by Picasso and Dali.

With bids currently standing at just £5,856 for the Dali, it offers superb value for money when compared with similar pieces by the surrealist. In 2003, an ink and pencil Dali drawing sold for $478,400.

The auction runs until May 24.

Paul Fraser Collectibles will continue to bring you all the latest from the global art market, so make sure you're a regular visitor.

Recent and related articles

·  Greatest 18th century scagliola collection to come to auction | 24 April 2012

·  Jean Paul Lemieux artwork set for $700,000 sale in Canada | 24 April 2012

·  Christie's 19th Century European Paintings sale sees Bouguereau up 30.4% | 24 April 2012

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Images: Heritage Auctions