Jean-Baptiste Greuze (Tournus 1725-1825 Paris)

This seductive little picture, painted with the fluidity of a watercolor, dates without doubt to the start of the 1780s. The neoclassical details of the table at which the model sits suggest that it is no longer a luxury object in the “goût grec” of the 1760s, but a perfectly ordinary piece of functional furniture dating from a generation later. Moreover, the subtle representation of the child’s expression, slightly anxious, perfectly transcribed, reveals Greuze’s mastery of the nuances of expression that he acquired during his years experimenting with his têtes d’expression.

Our thanks to Dr. Edgar Munhall, who has examined the present lot in person and confirmed its attribution to Greuze.