The image shows two people sitting side by side, facing each other. One person is seen in profile, while the other has their back mostly turned. The person in profile has delicate facial features and wears a high-necked garment with long sleeves and their hair styled up with a dark floral accessory. The other person's face is not visible, and they have short hair or an updo. The person in profile is dressed in an elaborate flowing dress, while the other individual wears a simpler outfit with a shawl-like garment over their shoulders. The background features lightly sketched indoor elements,…
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The Reading

Jean Honoré Fragonard (French, 1732 - 1806)

c. 1765/1775

Medium
brown wash on wove paper
Classification
Drawing
Dimensions
overall: 28.2 x 21 cm (11 1/8 x 8 1/4 in.)
Culture
French
Museum
National Gallery of Art, CG-E
Credit line
The Armand Hammer Collection
Rights
Public domain (NGA Open Access, CC0), as the museum states it.
Who can see it
Tweens profiles and older: its subjects are known and suit older children. How works are placed

View at the National Gallery of Art