The First Mourning
The First Mourning (in French Premier Deuil) is an oil on canvas painted in 1888 by William-Adolphe Bouguereau. Its dimensions are: 79 7/8 × 99 1/8 inches (203 × 252 cm). This piece of art can be seen at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
This work depicts the moment after Adam and Eve just found the body of their son Abel, who was murdered by Cain. This is the first human death recorded in the Bible.
William-Adolphe Bouguereau had suffered the loss of his second son shortly before painting this work.
Its original name is "Premier Deuil", in French, of which "The First Mourning" is a literal translation.
Source and Courtesy : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_First_Mourning
In his own time, Bouguereau was considered to be one of the greatest painters in the world by the academic art community, and simultaneously he was reviled by the avant-garde. He also gained wide fame in Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Romania and in the United States, and commanded high prices. His works often sold within days of completion. Some were viewed by international collectors and bought before work had even finished.
