The Petit Palais in Paris is presenting the first major Parisian exhibition dedicated to Jean-Baptiste Greuze, commemorating the 300th anniversary of the French painter's birth. The exhibition, titled "Greuze and the Revolution of Childhood," explores how this 18th-century Burgundian artist revolutionized the portrayal of children in art, featuring vivid portraits of youngsters, expressive character studies, and scenes of everyday life that reflect the major social changes of the era.

Curated by Annick Lemoine, director of the Petit Palais, Yuriko Jackall from the Detroit Institute of Arts' European art department, and Mickaël Szanto, a lecturer at the Sorbonne, the exhibition aims to rescue Greuze from what they describe as artistic purgatory. The three curators argue that there is significant misunderstanding about Greuze's work in contemporary France, where he has been largely forgotten despite his immense popularity during his lifetime.

The exhibition features a remarkable rediscovery - a high-quality oil painting that had not been located for half a century. The work depicts one of Greuze's daughters surprised while playing with her beloved toy spaniel, showcasing the artist's ability to capture intimate family moments with technical mastery. This rediscovered piece exemplifies the exhibition's central theme of how Greuze transformed the representation of childhood in 18th-century art.

According to the curators, modern audiences no longer appreciate Greuze's large moral paintings with their edifying messages, pathos, and sentimental qualities. These works were extensively reproduced, copied, and turned into engravings, eventually becoming commercialized on chocolate box covers and postal calendars, which contributed to their diminished reputation. However, during Greuze's lifetime, he was celebrated by audiences at the biennial painting and sculpture salons held at the Louvre.

The exhibition runs through several rooms at the Petit Palais, with youth represented throughout the museum's walls, reflecting the major social and cultural developments of the 18th century. The show presents Greuze's work spanning over half a century of artistic production, demonstrating his sustained interest in depicting children and young people across various contexts and artistic formats.

This comprehensive retrospective offers visitors an opportunity to rediscover an artist whose contribution to the evolution of childhood representation in art has been overlooked by contemporary audiences, while highlighting the social and cultural significance of his work within the broader context of 18th-century French society and the changing attitudes toward childhood during the Enlightenment period.