Woman Reading

Alfred Stevens

1864

charcoal

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Romanticism Late 19th Century

About this work

This sketch shows a woman from behind, wearing a long dress with a high collar. She holds a small book open in her hands, looking down at it. The lines are loose and quick, with some shading to show the folds in her clothes and the texture of the paper. The artist used soft charcoal and white chalk to keep it simple and sketchy. The paper has a warm, peach tone that makes the dark lines stand out. If you like this style, check out Romanticism for more works like this.