Innocence 1763

Curator: Oh, this is one of my favorites! Jean-Baptiste Greuze painted "Innocence" in 1763. Look at that gaze! What's the first thing that jumps out at you? Editor: It's so… dreamlike. Like she’s caught in a beautiful reverie. Her eyes looking upward seem to wonder about something we can’t grasp, maybe even bored? Curator: I get that. It embodies a very specific Rococo ideal, you know, playing with themes of virtue and a kind of staged naiveté. Editor: Right, it’s less about true, raw emotion, and more about performing an idea. The subtle sensuality paired with that "innocent" gaze feels very calculated, given the context of its time. Where the male gaze definitely comes to my mind. Curator: Absolutely, and Greuze was masterful at catering to his patrons’ tastes. He made a career capturing these sentimental scenes, tapping into the 18th-century obsession with morality plays, using what look like 'normal people'. But her skin practically glows, which shows us it is indeed carefully crafted using oils. It really makes you wonder about how art, gender and class all intertwine, doesn't it? Editor: It does! Her expression also begs the question on where the place for woman’s actual intellect was. In paintings, sculptures or life. You see that dreamy and delicate rendering as part of a bigger story of social power at that time. Even now! Curator: A very valuable observation! Maybe she just lost her car keys. It’s truly fascinating how a single brushstroke can ripple through centuries of conversation. Editor: Exactly, art really isn't made in a bubble; instead it’s very active! Anyway, a big thanks for letting me explore it with you.