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THE HEAD OF A GIRL
By JEAN BAPTISTE GREUZE (1725-1805)
IN THE NATIONAL GALLERY, LONDON
Greuze furnishes an interesting example of the inability often displayed by artists and writers to appraise the value of their own work. He flattered himself that he was an historical painter, and it must be recorded that this unfortunate obsession made him ridiculous. As the result of many remarkable genre studies he was elected to membership of the Academy. He delayed the production of his diploma picture so long that he was forbidden at length to exhibit until he had supplied it. When eventually he submitted the painting it was found to be in the nature of an attempt to justify his claim to be a painter of historical subjects, but the result was such a fiasco as to call down upon him a dignified and tactful rebuke from the Director, after Greuze had been received with ceremonious honour. Greuze took the courteously administered snub in bad part and for many years refused to exhibit.
The whole episode illustrates the curious lack of judgment which is apt to affect the great. The triumph which Greuze achieved was that he gained an enormous popularity as a painter of scenes of domestic life, when this seemed the exclusive privilege of painters of historical or allegorical pictures. That triumph he could not or would not acknowledge, but preferred to suffer by comparison in a commonplace department of art rather than shine by himself in an original sphere.
He acquired wealth as the result of his industry, but squandered his substance, and in the evening of his day was forced to solicit commissions which he was physically incapable of performing satisfactorily. Finally, in 1805 he died in the Louvre, in great poverty. " The Head of a Girl" reveals Greuze in his happiest style, and is an example of the kind of work that gained him popularity and fame for all time.
From the book "Famous Paintings" Volume 2 printed in 1913.
Online "Name the Painting"
Jean-Baptiste Greuze
biography at Wikipedia
Jean-Baptiste Greuze
pronunciation
Jean-Baptiste Greuze
paintings
Jean-Baptiste Greuze
at Web Museum, Paris
Jean-Baptiste Greuze
paintings at Wikipedia
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