Artwork
Young Girl Reading
Young Girl Reading is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Jean Honoré Fragonard. It dates from 1769 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Fragonard first painted this girl facing outward, then months later repainted her head in strict profile, a change that National Gallery technical studies revealed in 2015. She belongs to his 1769 fantasy-figures series, half-length portraits of friends in theatrical Spanish dress, yet she is the only sitter who turns away.
Subject & Meaning
She wears a fashionable dress with a bodice, ruff, cuffs, and a ribbon in her chestnut hair, set against a shadowed wall.
The painting depicts a young girl seated on a cushion, absorbed in reading a book. She wears a fashionable dress with a bodice, ruff, cuffs, and a ribbon in her chestnut hair, set against a shadowed wall. The subject is a genre portrait, typical of Rococo art in capturing an intimate, private moment of leisure.
The act of reading suggests themes of education, contemplation, or imaginative escape, while the girl's relaxed posture and soft lighting evoke a quiet, introspective mood. This representation aligns with Fragonard's interest in everyday, sentimental scenes of feminine grace.
Technique & Style
Painted in oil on canvas, the work measures 81.1 cm high by 64.8 cm wide. Stylistically, it belongs to the Rococo movement. The medium and support are standard for Fragonard, though the sources provide no details on brushwork, handling, or condition. As both a portrait and genre scene, the painting reflects Rococo elegance and lightness.
History & Provenance
Created in 1769, Young Girl Reading was originally owned by Guillaume Dubarry. Its documented provenance begins with the collector Verrier, whose 1776 sale included the work. The painting subsequently passed through several notable collections: Jean François Leroy de Sennéville (by 1780), Casimir Perrin, marquis de Cypierre (by 1845), Comte Pierre de Kergorlay (by 1889), and Ernest Cronier.
After further ownership by Dr. Théodore Tuffier, it was with Wildenstein & Co. and acquired by Alfred W. Erickson by 1930. His widow sold it in 1961, and the National Gallery of Art purchased it with funds from Ailsa Mellon Bruce.
The painting is currently housed at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., having been accessioned into the collection in 1961 through a purchase funded by Ailsa Mellon Bruce. The specific inventory number is not supplied in the sources examined, and the exhibition history of the work is not documented in these materials beyond its private ownership prior to the museum acquisition.
Overview
Jean-Honoré Fragonard's 18th-century oil painting, "Young Girl Reading," captures a young woman engrossed in a book. This work is part of a larger series by the artist and is notable for its intimate portrayal. Technical analysis in 2015 revealed a significant alteration in its composition, adding a layer of intrigue to its creation. The painting is currently housed at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.
Context
While "Young Girl Reading" is considered part of Fragonard's 1769 "fantasy figures" series, which typically features half-length portraits of the artist's acquaintances in theatrical Spanish-style dress, it holds a unique position. It is the only subject in this group that turns away from the viewer. Furthermore, it is the sole figure on the related "Sketches of Portraits" sheet that remains unnamed, contributing to its enigmatic quality within the series.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Jean-Honoré Fragonard was born on 5 April 1732 in Grasse, the son of a glover, and moved with his family to Paris in 1738.
Studied in the Mythology in Art course 
Compared in the How to Look at a Painting course