威廉‧亞杜夫‧布葛赫（William Adolphe Bouguereau, 1825-1905）是十九世紀法國學院派的重要畫家。其題材主要以宗教、文學和肖像為主，作品強調精確的構圖、細節和明亮的用色，以及平和、恬靜的畫風。本作曾於1863年的官方沙龍展展出，後來成為尤金妮皇后（Empress Eugénie de Montijo, 1826-1920）的收藏。

畫中描繪七歲喪母的小施洗約翰，在曠野中受到耶穌嬰孩與聖母瑪利亞關懷與陪伴的故事。側坐在岩石上的聖母瑪利亞一手扶著耶穌、一手拿著暗示其美德的紡錘，將耶穌與穿著駱駝皮的小施洗約翰框圈於懷中，表現出瑪利亞安慰照護著兩位孩童的樣貌。而耶穌則與舉頭仰望他的小施洗約翰對視和擁抱，並以左手輕撫小施洗約翰的臉頰狀似要與他親吻。三人表情平和，彼此間相應的眼神、肢體動作足見他們親密的感情和詳和的氣氛。聖母的頭部、耶穌的頭連結聖母左腿上的藍色披巾衣角構成三角構圖中的右緣，而順延聖母右肩、碰觸紡錘的右手和地上的竹籃則形成三角構圖之左緣，使畫面穩定且平衡。

背景在綿延的山野與晴朗的天空的配搭下，塑造出寧靜柔和的風情，呼應著前景三人溫柔的互動與氣氛。此外，畫家更運用聖母子與小施洗約翰白皙的膚色、白裡透紅的臉頰配合聖母身上的粉紅長袍與淺藍綠色，以及淺藍色的天空，傳遞出溫和柔亮的氣息。(徐鈺涵)

William Adolphe Bouguereau (1825-1905) was an important academic painter of 19th-century France. His works mainly cover religious and literary subjects as well as portraits. He is known for the great emphasis on precision in depiction, meticulous details, and bright coloring, presenting an overall tranquil style. This painting was exhibited in the 1863 Paris Salon and later collected by Empress Eugénie.

The painting depicts John the Baptist, who became bereaved at the age of seven, in the company and care of Madonna and little Jesus in the wilderness. Sitting on a rock, Mary holds Christ in one hand and takes a spindle in the other, indicating indicates her virtue. Embracing little Jesus and John the Baptist in camel leather, she also represents caring motherhood. The infant Jesus looks at John the Baptist, whose head is tilted, and is about to kiss him with a childlike innocence. The three figures convey peaceful expressions, and their eye contacts and postures all reveal calmness and intimacy; the triangular composition helps stabilize the picture.

Throughout his life, Bouguereau remained a supporter of academic paintings. Like Alexandre Cabanel, he was opposed to Realism and Impressionism. However, with changes in artistic trends, this adherent of French academism gradually sank into oblivion. (Yu Han HSU)