Reclining River God 

Jean-Baptiste Greuze made this drawing of a ‘Reclining River God’ with red chalk, during a period when France was changing, from an aristocratic society to one influenced by Enlightenment ideas of reason. Here, a muscular male figure reclines, seemingly emerging from a vessel from which water pours. This ‘river god’ is an allegory of masculinity and power, deeply rooted in classical traditions. The figure’s pose, musculature, and the very idea of representing a river as a god, draw upon ancient Greek and Roman sculptures. Yet, look closer. Greuze's choice of red chalk, with its warm, fleshy tones, brings an unexpected sensuality to the piece. It softens the god, infusing him with a human vulnerability. It evokes questions about the male body, not just as an emblem of power, but also as a site of desire and vulnerability. Rather than reinforcing traditional narratives of masculine dominance, Greuze subtly undermines them by imbuing the river god with a tangible, human presence.