Jean-Baptiste Greuze's diminutive picture of a rosy-cheeked girl wringing out her linen was one of fourteen works that he exhibited at the Salon of 1761 in Paris. This lively and engrossing book traces the history of the Getty Museum's painting, compares the work to other laundresses painted by Greuze, and explores social mores and the role of artists model in the eighteenth century. It provides an enlightening account of Greuze's life and times and the influences on his work.

Catalogue of an exhibition held at The Frick Collection, New York, May 14-Aug. 4, 2002, and at The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, Sept. 10-Dec. 1, 2002. Exhibition curated by Edgar Munhall, Curator Emeritus of The Frick Collection, who also wrote the catalogue. Includes catalogue entries for 95 graphic works, and one painted self-portrait, by Jean-Baptiste Greuze (1725-1805). Each entry accompanied by one or more illustrations. Includes summary biography and selected bibliography. Foreword by Samuel Sachs II and Deborah Gribbon.

Jean-Baptiste Greuze (1725 - 1805) was a French painter of portraits, genre scenes, and history painting. Settled in Paris, Greuze soon won the notice and support of the well-known connoisseur La Live de Jully, the brother-in-law of Madame d'Epinay. In 1755 Greuze exhibited his Aveugle trompe, upon which he was immediately certified by the Academy. Towards the close of the same year he left France for Italy, in company with the Abbe Louis Gougenot. Gougenot had some acquaintance with the arts, and was highly valued by the Academicians, who, during his journey with Greuze, elected him an honorary member of their body on account of his studies in mythology and allegory. In 1765 he reached the zenith of his powers and reputation. In that year he was represented with no less than thirteen works, amongst which may be cited "La Jeune Fille qui pleure son oiseau mort", "La Bonne Mere", "Le Mauvais fils puni" (Louvre) and "La Malediction paternelle" (Louvre). The Academy took occasion to press Greuze for his diploma picture, the execution of which had been long delayed, and forbade him to exhibit on their walls until he had complied with their regulations. Greuze wished to be received as a historical painter, and produced a work which he intended to vindicate his right to despise his qualifications as a genre artist. The Academicians received their new member with all due honours, but at the close of the ceremonies the Director addressed Greuze in these words: "Sir, the Academy has accepted you, but only as a genre painter; Greuze, greatly incensed, quarrelled with his confreres, and ceased to exhibit until, in 1804, the Revolution had thrown open the doors of the Academy to all the world. In the following year, on 4 March 1805, he died in great poverty.

With this widely acclaimed work, Michael Fried revised the way in which eighteenth-century French painting and criticism are viewed and understood. Analyzing paintings produced between 1753 and 1781 and the comments of a number of critics who wrote about them, especially Dennis Diderot, Fried discovers a new emphasis in the art of the time, based not on subject matter or style but on values and effects.

"The works from the Bonna Collection are illustrated in color, and whenever possible, at their actual sizes. They are arranged chronologically by the artist's date of birth and are grouped according to the main artistic schools. This volume is introduced by an interview with Jean Bonna by George Goldner. Each drawing is then described in an entry, many of which have comparative illustrations that shed further light on individual works."--BOOK JACKET.