Young Woman Reading

Young Woman Reading (c. 1770-72), at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is closely related to the National Gallery of Art's Young Girl Reading, depicting a woman absorbed in her book with the same luminous golden palette and concentrated composition. The reading woman was one of Fragonard's most successful subjects, combining intellectual activity with physical beauty in a way that elevated both. The warm lemon-yellow light that suffuses the composition creates an atmosphere of almost spiritual concentration. The Metropolitan Museum's French Rococo holdings include this as one of several Fragonard paintings that demonstrate his mastery of single-figure composition.

The lemon-yellow dress radiates warmth and light against the neutral background, creating a stunning color effect. The brushwork is both bold in the dress and delicate in the face, demonstrating Fragonard's remarkable range of handling.