The Ungrateful Son c. 1770

"The Ungrateful Son" is a red chalk drawing by the French artist Jean-Baptiste Greuze, c. 1770. The drawing captures the head and shoulders of a young man, his face turned away from the viewer, with a look of guilt and sadness in his eyes. The artist’s use of hatched lines and shading creates a sense of depth and realism, emphasizing the man’s emotional turmoil. This piece exemplifies Greuze’s focus on depicting everyday scenes of moral and social dilemmas, reflecting the changing artistic tastes of the Rococo period.