Woman with Doves 1799 - 1800

Jean-Baptiste Greuze made this intimate scene of a young woman with doves using oil on canvas. Look closely and you can see how the artist built up layers of paint to create a smooth, porcelain-like surface, typical of the Rococo period. The precise brushwork and delicate rendering of textures elevate the subject, as well as the painting, to something precious. Notice the contrast with the basket on the woman's lap and cage beside her – both examples of vernacular craft, whose value lies in utility, not refinement. In pre-industrial Europe, the meticulous labor invested in such paintings signaled status and wealth, a currency as tangible as the materials themselves. So, while "high art" might seem worlds away from "mere" craft, both were produced and consumed within the same economy. By understanding the means of production, we can appreciate how Greuze blurred the lines between art, craft, and commerce in his pursuit of beauty.