The Drunken Cobbler
Jean-Baptiste Greuze, The Drunken Cobbler, 1776-1779, oil on canvas, Gift of Marion Bowles Hollis, public domain, 59.1
This work is on view.
- Title
The Drunken Cobbler
- Artist
- Date
1776-1779
- Medium
oil on canvas
- Dimensions (H x W x D)
29 5/8 in x 36 3/8 in
- Collection Area
European Art
- Category
Paintings
- Object Type
painting
- Culture
French
- Credit Line
Gift of Marion Bowles Hollis
- Accession Number
59.1
- Copyright
public domain
- Terms
- Location
Intending to warn viewers about the evils of drunkenness, Greuze refers to the adage that the cobbler's children never have shoes. This work is a late manifestation of the highly theatrical, edifying subject matter introduced by Denis Diderot (1713–1784) in his moralizing plays known as drames bourgeoises. These theatrical pieces were written to counter the perceived licentiousness of the French aristocracy with domestic virtues and to appeal to the viewer's deepest emotional senses.
- Exhibitions
2023 Throughlines: Connections in the Collection Portland Art Museum
