Jean-Baptiste Greuze (1725-1805) was a French painter who embodied the transition from Rococo to Enlightenment-era art. Born in Tournus, Burgundy, Greuze demonstrated an early aptitude for drawing and received formal training in Lyon and Paris. He was influenced by his mentors, Charles Grandon and Charles-Joseph Natoire, but diverged from Natoire's opulent Rococo style to focus on moral gravity and emotional resonance.
Greuze gained public attention in 1755 with his painting "Father Reading the Bible to His Children," which aligned with Enlightenment ideals of reason, virtue, and family life. He earned the patronage of influential figures like Denis Diderot and became known for his genre paintings, which depicted middle-class domestic life, moral education, and human emotion.
Despite his early success, Greuze faced challenges, including being denied full membership in the Royal Academy in 1769. He continued to exhibit his works independently, but his refusal to conform to institutional expectations limited his opportunities. By the 1770s, Greuze had established himself as a leading painter, but his popularity began to wane in the late 1770s with the emergence of Neoclassicism.
Greuze's personal life was also marked by difficulties, including a tumultuous marriage, financial struggles, and the French Revolution. He attempted to adapt to changing tastes, experimenting with portraiture and history painting, but with limited success. His self-portrait from 1795 remains a notable work, showcasing his enduring dedication to his craft.
After his death in 1805, Greuze's work was reassessed by art historians, who recognized his role in bridging Rococo and Neoclassical styles. Today, he is celebrated for his ability to capture human emotion with sensitivity and nuance, and his influence extends to later artists, writers, and thinkers. Greuze's legacy endures as a pivotal figure in the evolution of French art, and his works continue to captivate audiences with their emotional depth and moral resonance.