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Indepth Arts News:
"Greuze the Draftsman brings together works from the Louvre, the Hermitage and other lenders worldwide"
2002-09-10 until 0000-00-00
J. Paul Getty Center
Los Angeles, CA,
USA
Greuze the Draftsman, the first exhibition devoted exclusively to the drawings of the French master painter and draftsman Jean-Baptiste Greuze (1725–1805), will be on view at the J. Paul Getty Museum from September 10 through December 1, 2002. Popular in his own time, Greuze remains indisputably one of France’s greatest draftsmen.
The exhibition’s only other presentation is at The Frick Collection in New York from May 14 through August 4, 2002. Organized by The Frick Collection in association with the J. Paul Getty Museum, the exhibition brings together 70 remarkable drawings borrowed from both U.S. and European private and public collections, including works from the Musée du Louvre, Paris, and the State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg. Two complementary exhibitions will be presented only at the Getty—one exploring Greuze’s paintings and the other representing French drawings by his contemporaries.
The exhibition includes drawings in all media, including chalk, ink, and pastel. These works explore a range of subjects, highlighting two of Greuze’s favorite topics: human expression and the drama of family life. Drawings on view that illustrate these themes include the theatrical The Father’s Curse: The Ungrateful Son (about 1778) and the expressive Head of an Old Man (about 1755)—both from the Getty Museum’s collection. Also featured are 10 sheets from the State Hermitage Museum, purchased directly from the artist in 1767 by Ivan Ivanovitch Betskoy, a prominent dignitary in the circle of Catherine the Great.
"Greuze the Draftsman presents the extraordinary opportunity to showcase the technical brilliance and amazing variety of Greuze’s drawings for Los Angeles audiences," said Deborah Gribbon, director of the J. Paul Getty Museum and vice president of the J. Paul Getty Trust. "Its unique presentation at the Getty, contextualized by complementary exhibitions, examines Greuze’s virtuosity as an artist in both drawing and painting."
Lee Hendrix, curator of drawings at the Getty Museum added, "The vivid, graceful, and theatrical portrayals of the human experience in the works of Greuze are instantly engaging. These drawings are sure to impress Getty visitors."
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