Girl looking to her left

My name is Isabella, and I will be your guide today through one of our most impressive paintings: "Girl Looking to Her Left"! nn This painting is like a giant photograph of a young girl. Can you believe it was painted over 100 years ago, in 1901? That's even before your grandparents were born! nn What do you see when you look at this girl? nn ---

She looks very serious, doesn't she? And look at her big, beautiful eyes! It seems like she's looking at something exciting happening just outside of the painting. What do you think she sees? nn The artist used lots of dark colors for her dress and the background, but her face and collar are painted in white. Why do you think the artist did that? nn ---

That's right! It makes her face stand out even more, so we really pay attention to her. nn If you look closely, you can see how the artist used his brushstrokes to make the girl look soft and delicate, especially her face and hair. And look at the colors – mostly browns and greens. They make the painting feel calm and peaceful, don't you think? nn --- nn This painting, "Girl Looking to Her Left," is a special kind of artwork called a portrait. A portrait is like a picture that tells a story about a person. Even though we don't know this girl's name, the artist helped us learn a little bit about her just by painting her picture. nn What do you think her story is?