Jean Baptiste Greuze (1725-1805) French, “Study of young girl head” Oil on canvas, Ex-Christie’s Jean Baptiste Greuze (1725-1805) French, oil on canvas. Titled 'Study of Young Girls Head'. Oil on canvas. Traces of Christies Auction stencils on the stretcher. Frame: 55 cm x 63.5 cm = 21” x 24.5” (inches). Stretcher: 33.5 cm x 41 cm = 13” x 16.25” (inches; Weight in frame: 11 lb. = 5 kg; Thickness of the frame: 3 inches = 7.62 cm; Auction results: Approximately 300 paintings and drawings were sold on different auctions. Below are several examples: 1. THE HERMIT, OR THE DISTRIBUTOR OF ROSARIES, oil on canvas, not signed, Sotheby’s, New York, USA, 01/31/2013, Estimate: $1,000,000- $1,500,000 USD, Realized: $1,085,500 USD 2. Jean-Baptiste Greuze (Tournus 1725-1805 Paris), La Rêveuse (The Dreamer), Price realized: USD 348,500. Estimate: USD 300,000 – USD 500,000. Closed: 31 Oct 2017. 3. JEAN-BAPTISTE GREUZE (TOURNUS 1725-1805 PARIS) Agneau chéri, Price realized: USD 63,000. Estimate: USD 120,000 – USD 180,000 Closed: 25 Jan 2023. 4. Jean-Baptiste Greuze* (1725-1805) LOT ESSAY DETAILS Jean-Baptiste Greuze* (1725-1805), Portrait of a young Girl, small half length, en déshabillé, oil on panel—unframed, 16¼ x 12½ in. (41.2 cm x 31.7cm.). Price realized: USD 29,900; Estimate: USD 25,000 – USD 35,000. Closed: 5 Oct 1995. Biography: Greuze was born at Tournus, a market town in Burgundy. He is generally said to have formed his own talent; at an early age his inclinations, though thwarted by his father, were encouraged by a Lyonnese artist named Grandon, or Grondom, who enjoyed during his lifetime considerable reputation as a portrait-painter. Grandon not only persuaded Greuze's father to give way to his son's wishes, and permit the boy to accompany him as his pupil to Lyon, but, when at a later date he left Lyon for Paris, Grandon carried young Greuze with him.[1] Settled in Paris, Greuze worked from the living model in the school of the Royal Academy….. In Paris, Greuze worked from the live model at the Royal Academy. Gradually his work attracted the attention of members of the nobility such as the family of Madame d'Epinay, a French writer whose love affairs included Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Denis Diderot. In 1755, Greuze's painting, “Father Reading the Bible”, was judged accomplished enough to merit much encouragement from Academicians. That same year, he went to Italy with Abbé Louis Gougenot, who had influence among fine art professionals, which led to Greuze being elected him an honorary member of the Royal Academy in Italy because of his accomplishments in allegory and mythology. However, he was not encouraged by the exposure he got in Italy, and returned to Paris in search of better training for portraiture, genre and figure work. In 1759, 1761 and 1763 Greuze exhibited with ever-increasing success; in 1765 he reached the zenith of his powers and reputation. In that year he was represented with at least thirteen works, amongst which may be cited La Jeune Fille qui pleure son oiseau mort, La Bonne Mère, Le Mauvais fils puni (Louvre) and La Malediction paternelle (Louvre)…. La Jeune Fille à l'agneau was bought at the Pourtal's sale in 1865 for at least a million francs. One of Greuze's pupils, Madame Le Doux, imitated with success the manner of her master; his daughter and granddaughter, Madame de Valory, also inherited some traditions of his talent.
