This painting is secular and denotes an attitude of romanticism rather than having a religious basis. The …show more content…
Her partially smiling gaze gives the feeling that through her imagination she might be thinking about what it would be like for herself if she were a part of the story she is reading. Her relaxed pose gives a feeling that she is very contented. Corot paints her dress with much detail to the pleats of her skirt. This element provides contribution to the relaxed feeling of the painting. The painting is organized to create a central focus on the woman. She is centered in the painting and her body takes up almost the entirety of the painting. The color of the tablecloth almost blends into the background. The colors of the painting are neutral; we see different shades of browns and touches of …show more content…
Therefore, this is a static painting where the woman is in a stationary position. I consider this painting to be more for entertainment than to be didactic. Reason being, it is showing the beauty of the woman who is relaxed and reading. As stated previously, I think she is having a moment to connect herself to her reading. As if she has read something pleasing and she is taking a moment to reflect on her story in the book. Therefore, I think this painting is serious rather than comic, since it shows her in deep thought. The painting captures the woman in a moment of tranquility and