Les deux amies.

Les deux amies (The Two Friends), dating from around 1750, is an early work from Greuze's formative period before his celebrated debut at the 1755 Salon. The intimate subject of female friendship reflects the sentimental themes that would define Greuze's career and earn him the title of the painter of domestic virtue. Characteristic of the artist's mature approach, the work displays theatrically posed figures, expressive faces registering emotion with unsubtle directness, a palette ranging from Rococo pastels in early works to colder, more sober tones after the Revolution.

The warm, intimate lighting and soft handling of drapery already show the young Greuze developing the tender sensibility that would characterize his mature work.