A Lady reading a book

Charles Samuel Keene 1823 - 1891

Summary

At the centre of the composition is a seated woman whose sweeping skirts create a pyramidal format as they stretch across the width of the print and taper upwards to the woman's waist and shoulders, drawing the viewer's eye up to her face. The dress is full-length and high-necked with a small collar buttoned tightly together and the amount of material it is made form means that large folds form in the skirts causing shadows to play across it. She is also wearing a shawl draped over her shoulders and a shallow hat with two feathers on the right-hand side. A large book is open on the woman's lap and she holds some of the pages ready to turn them in her right hand whilst her left hand is folded in her lap. Although she is positioned facing the viewer it is difficult to see her face as her eyes are downcast looking at the book and the left-hand side of her face is in shadow as the light is falling strongly from the right. Her surroundings are left quite plain apart from the shadow she casts to the left and the corner of the room seen just off centre to the right.