Jean-Baptiste Greuze : l'enfance en lumière

Exhibition at the Petit Palais, Paris, 16 September 2025 - 25 January 2026

Although Jean-Baptiste Greuze (1725–1805) is now a little-known and misunderstood artist, in his day he was acclaimed by the public, adored by critics and sought after by the greatest collectors. Throughout his career, he continued to explore the theme of childhood. Through his numerous portraits, he reflected on the place of children in society and the crucial importance of their education. Echoing the concerns of philosophers such as Diderot, Rousseau and Condorcet, the artist invites us to meditate on the place of children within the family, the responsibility of parents in their development and the importance of education in shaping their personalities.

This catalogue of the exhibition organised to mark the 300th anniversary of Greuze's birth pays tribute to this painter of portraits and genre scenes who, more than any other, was able to convey the human soul through the prism of the theme of childhood. With empathy, the artist questions the place of children in 18th-century society, their future and their emancipation. The book, which brings together around a hundred paintings, drawings and prints from around the world, offers an opportunity to rediscover the unique work of this major artist of the Age of Enlightenment.