Jean-François-Gilles Colson (Dijon 1733-1803 Paris)

Jean-François Gilles, called Colson, was the son of the miniaturist Jean-Baptiste Gilles. He settled in Paris around 1759, and quickly specialised in portraits and genre scenes. His best known painting, The Rest, of 1759, shows a young serving girl similar to the subject of the present work, sleeping after a hard day's labour. In both works Colson shows his admiration for Jean-Baptiste Greuze.