Tender Memory
1762 -1763
Jean-Baptiste Greuze was the 18th-century master of emotional storytelling, and here he captures a moment of quiet, romantic longing. A woman in a gloriously shimmering satin gown clutches a letter while gazing tenderly at a bust of her beloved, her hand resting gently on his stone shoulder. The scene is packed with symbols: an open box of love letters lies discarded, and a loyal spaniel sleeps faithfully at her feet. Greuze was famous for these sentimental paintings that made critics like Diderot weep, though the artist himself was notoriously difficult and later fought bitterly with the French Academy.
- Technique
- Oil on canvas
Location: Wallace Collection, London
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