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Study of a Girl Reading

Elihu Vedder

1858

graphite

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Impressionism Realism Early 19th Century Interior

Dominant colour

Study of a Girl Reading is a 1858 graphite by Elihu Vedder, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Elihu Vedder
When & what style?: 1858 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows a girl sitting on a simple chair, bent over a book. Her dress has a high collar and lace trim, and her hair is pulled back neatly. The lines are loose and quick, with shading that suggests folds in her clothing. The drawing looks like a practice piece—maybe the artist was testing how light and shadow fall on fabric. The paper is plain, and the focus is on getting the posture and fabric right. If you like this style, check out Realism for more drawings that focus on everyday life.