The Wallace Collection houses a number of works by the French painter, Jean-Baptiste Greuze (1725-1805). During his lifetime, he enjoyed critical acclaim, immense popularity and commercial success. Subsequently, however, his reputation declined, reaching its nadir during the first half of the 20th century. 

To mark the 300th anniversary of his birth, Dr Barker will explore why Greuze has been both loved and loathed, and will ask if it might now be possible to take him seriously as an artist once again.

About the speaker: Dr Emma Barker is Senior Lecturer in Art History at the Open University. She is the author of Greuze and the Painting of Sentiment (Cambridge University Press, 2005). She has also published many articles on the work of Greuze and other aspects of 18th-century French art.

Take part at the museum: No ticket required, drop in on the day. Join us in the Theatre for this special talk.

Watch online: This talk will also be broadcast live from the museum. Book a free ticket online to receive a Zoom link. Ticketholders will also receive a link to view a recording of the talk, which will be available for two weeks only.