Lectura (Reading)

Hi everyone! My name is Isabella, and I'm so excited to show you a beautiful painting today! It's called Lectura (Reading), and it was painted a long, long time ago by a very talented artist named Julio Romero de Torres. He lived in Spain! Does anyone know where Spain is? It's a country in Europe! nn
nn This painting is really big! It's almost as tall as a grown-up and almost as wide as a car! Can you imagine how much paint it took to make this picture? The artist painted it between 1900 and 1902. That's a very long time ago! What were your grandparents doing in 1902? nn
nn Look closely at the painting. Do you see the woman? She's lying down on a bright red bed. See how her pale dress makes her stand out against the red? It's like a beautiful surprise! What color is her dress? Some people think it's white, others think it's a light green. What do you think? She's reading a book, and she looks very peaceful, doesn't she? What do you think she's reading about? A fairy tale? A mystery? nn
nn See the little lamp in the corner? It's shining a light on the woman. This makes her the most important part of the painting. The rest of the room is dark, which makes the woman and her book even more special. It's like the artist is saying, "Look at this quiet moment!" What do you think the artist wanted us to feel when we look at this painting? Happy? Calm? Curious? nn
nn This painting isn't just about a woman reading a book. It's about quiet moments and thinking. It shows us how good it feels to be peaceful and alone sometimes. Julio Romero de Torres was really good at showing us these quiet, special moments. He was a very clever artist! What are some of your favorite quiet moments? nn
nn I hope you enjoyed looking at this amazing painting! Remember, art is all about sharing feelings and ideas. What did you think of Lectura (Reading)? Do you have any questions? Let's go look at some more art now!