Girl with Bonnet c. 1790

Jean-Baptiste Greuze rendered this 'Girl with Bonnet' with oil on canvas. The bonnet, a seemingly simple head covering, carries a wealth of social and historical weight. Throughout history, head coverings have signified status, virtue, and availability. In Greuze’s time, a bonnet like this spoke of domesticity, of a young woman poised on the threshold of adulthood, embodying innocence, and perhaps hinting at future marital prospects. Yet, consider its echo in earlier images of veiled Madonnas, their faces similarly framed, conveying purity, and reverence. The gaze, averted and contemplative, invites a sense of intimacy, a shared moment of quiet reflection. This image resonates with the past, carrying forward symbols of virtue. The cyclical nature of these motifs reveals how cultural memory shapes our present perceptions, adding layers of meaning to a seemingly simple portrait.