Bouguereau was at the height of his career when he painted Petite fille au bord du ruisseau tenant une gerbe de fleurs in 1886. He epitomized success in the Salon, and consequently was imitated by a multitude of younger artists, who all hoped for similar fame and fortune. Petite fille... is in the tradition of Bouguereau's most delightful genre subjects, and it was such charming, non-controversial paintings that established him as one of the most popular artists of his day. Eager collectors typically had to wait two or three years to purchase one of his paintings. His popularity extended to both sides of the Atlantic and no important American collection in the 19th century would have been complete without the addition of a painting by this most popular French Academic master. It is very likely that Petite fille... had been in a private American collection since the late 19th century before it was given to a private institution in New York.
Our painting depicts a charming young girl who has been picking flowers - marguerites, wild poppies and cornflowers - in the woods. Her apron overflows with the vibrant blues and reds of her colorful bouquet. We can only imagine the beautiful drawings that Bouguereau must have done for these delicate flowers - all drawn with botanical detail. Petite fille au bord du Ruisseau tenant une gerbe de fleurs is one of Bouguereau's most poetic depictions of a young shepherdess - a pretty girl who has left her flock and escaped to a sylvan world filled with flowers.