Let us suspend time for a moment and transport ourselves to the 18th century, to the heart of the French countryside. Jean-Baptiste Greuze, undisputed master of genre painting, invites us to share in the emotion of a young shepherd, his heart pounding, as he tests fate to discover the outcome of his love.
In this painting, every detail is charged with meaning: the soft light caressing the shepherd’s face, the escaped lock of hair, the palpable tension in his fingers gripping the flower… All conspire to immerse us in the intimacy of this suspended moment. Greuze offers a veritable psychological study, exploring the most subtle nuances of romantic feelings. The shepherd, embodiment of youth and innocence, becomes an emblem of universal humanity. Beyond the simple representation of a romantic ritual, this painting is an ode to hope, to the beauty of simple sentiments, and to the power of love.
Further information
- Young Shepherd Testing His Fate to Know if His Shepherdess Loves Him, Jean-Baptiste Greuze, 1760 or 1761
- 72.5 x 59.5 cm
- Petit Palais, Museum of Fine Arts of the City of Paris, exhibited in Ground Floor Garden Room 11, Paris Musées
- https://www.parismuseescollections.paris.fr/fr/petit-palais/oeuvres/jeune-berger-qui-tente-le-sort-pour-savoir-s-il-est-aime-de-sa-bergere
Jean-Baptiste Greuze (1725-1805) is an essential figure in 18th-century French painting. His works, often imbued with realism and sensitivity, captivated the public of his time and continue to fascinate art lovers today. Specializing in genre scenes, he excelled in representing human emotions and feelings. His psychological portraits, like that of our young shepherd, demonstrate a great finesse of observation and a profound understanding of human nature. Greuze, as a member of the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture, helped renew the portrait genre by bringing it closer to everyday life and individual concerns.
