William Bouguereau

G. W. Carner (acquired directly from the artist through Mr. Kruger on behalf of Adolphe Schloss, Paris, as L'amour aux Aguets, May 1890)
Fischhof Collection
J. P. Silo Collection (and sold: Fifth Avenue Art Galleries, New York, January 12, 1905, as Cupid on the Alert)
E. Thalman
Sale: Sheridan Art Galleries, Chicago, March 8-11, 1940, lot 990, illustrated
Arthur Wheaton, Sr., Illinois  (and sold: Sotheby's, New York, October 29, 1987, lot 102, illustrated)
Acquired at the above sale by the present owner

Marius Vachon, W. Bouguereau, Paris, 1900, p. 157
"Bouguereau," Masters in Art, Boston, 1906, part 82, vol. VII, pp. 37-8, illustrated pl. VI
Famous Pictures by Renowned Artists, Chicago, 1917, p. 222, illustrated 
Mark Steven Walker, "William-Adolphe Bouguereau, A Summary Catalogue of the Paintings," William-Adolphe Bouguereau, L'Art Pompier, exh. cat., Borghi & Co., New York, 1992, p. 73

The following condition report was kindly provided by Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc.: This painting has probably not been recently restored. The thickly painted canvas has been lined and the paint layer is stable. The horizontal cracking is very slightly visible. There are no damages and there appear to be no retouches. Some brown liquid has arrived on the figure’s left thigh and in the rocks beneath his quiver on the right side, and cleaning the picture might add more depth to the darker colors and also remove these small blemishes. However, the painting is generally in beautiful condition.
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

The theme of love is pervasive in Bouguereau's oeuvre, particularly as personified by Cupid, the mischievous son of the goddess Venus whose famous arrows possessed the power to ignite romantic love. Bouguereau explored many different interpretations of the popular mythological figure, at times shown as a young man with his lover, Psyche (see lot 63), and in other cases depicted on his own as a child, as in the present work. In Amour à l'affût Bouguereau light-heartedly exposes the dichotomy of the young god – at once innocent in his sweet, angelic expression, his flaxen curls framed by a soft halo of light, yet equally sneaky as he draws back his bow and arrow, carefully hiding his potentially destructive act by his side. Perhaps gazing toward his next unsuspecting victim, the young Cupid is seated in a lush woodland interior, a perfect hiding place for the precocious child. Bouguereau recognized the popular appeal of such imagery and devoted at least ten paintings to the subject of the young spoiled child of Venus, at times silent, at others teasingly playful, but always quick to aim and release his powerful arrow. The model for Amour à l'affût was one of Bouguereau's favorites, and was actually a young girl. She also appears in Les Mûres (1890), Une Vocation (1890), L'Oeillet (1890), L'Amour mouillé (1891), Au Bord du ruisseau (1891) and Le Captif (1891). Striking in its particularly sensitive treatment of the human form, Amour à l'affût is an exceptional example from this group of work and reveals Bouguereau's consummate artistic skill.