The young artist entered the Prix de Rome contest in April 1848. Soon after work began there were riots in Paris, and Bouguereau enrolled in the National Guard. After an unsuccessful attempt to win the prize, he entered again in 1849. Following 106 days of competition, he again failed to win. His third attempt commenced unsuccessfully in April 1850 with "Dante and Virgil" but five months later, he heard he had won a joint first prize for "Shepherds Find Zenobia on the Banks of the Araxes".