(after) Jean-baptiste Greuze Young Girl In A White Cap Oil On Canvas, Circa 1850–1880

(After) Jean-Baptiste Greuze Young Girl in a White Cap Oil on canvas, circa 1850–1880

Considered either a later interpretation or a study, this fine painting is closely related to two works by Greuze: Portrait of a Young Girl, housed in the Bowes Museum, and Portrait of a Little Girl in a White Cap, held at the Musée Cognacq-Jay.

A charming and tender portrait of a young girl in a white cap, captured in a thoughtful pose.

Dimensions:

Unframed: Height 17 7/8 in – Width 14 5/8 in.

Framed: Height 23 5/8 in – Width 20 7/8 in.

Condition:

In good overall condition, this painting is presented in a handsome carved and gilded wood frame. It has been professionally cleaned, with two minor, older restorations noted.

Biography:

Jean-Baptiste Greuze (1725–1805) – Master of Sentiment and Genre Painting

Born in Tournus, Burgundy, Jean-Baptiste Greuze emerged as one of the 18th century’s most iconic painters, renowned for his moral scenes and emotionally charged portraits. After training in Lyon, he settled in Paris, where he quickly gained acclaim for his ability to capture human expressions and intimate narratives, moving away from the grand historical and mythological subjects favored at the time. His style, characterized by poignant realism and rare psychological depth, earned him public admiration and the patronage of influential collectors, including the philosopher Denis Diderot, who hailed him as a “philosopher-painter.”

Greuze excelled in depicting everyday life, transforming simple moments—a mother teaching her child, a father blessing his family—into works rich with morality and poetry. His masterpieces, such as The Village Betrothal and Filial Piety, became icons of sentimental painting, blending technical mastery with narrative depth. Though his academic ambitions sometimes clashed with contemporary conventions, his genius lay in humanizing art, making him a forerunner of Romanticism.

Celebrated for his skillful use of light and detail, Greuze left a lasting impact on European painting. Despite financial struggles later in life, his legacy endures, cherished for its authenticity and ability to resonate through seemingly ordinary scenes. Today, his works, displayed in major museums worldwide, continue to captivate with their modernity and universal appeal.