Dorothea Corbould, Reading c. 1860

Editor: So, here we have Charles Samuel Keene’s drawing, "Dorothea Corbould, Reading." It feels incredibly intimate, like a stolen moment. What strikes you about it? Curator: It's funny you say that! I find it remarkable how Keene captures the quiet absorption of reading with such simple lines. It reminds me of those moments when a book becomes a portal. Do you ever feel like you're *in* the story? Editor: Absolutely! The shading almost makes her dress seem like it's part of the book too. What do you think Keene was trying to convey? Curator: Maybe he was simply honoring the everyday magic of losing oneself in a good book. Or perhaps hinting at the intellectual lives of women, often overlooked at the time. It's a gentle, loving portrait, isn’t it? Editor: It really is. I'll definitely think differently about reading now. Curator: Me too. Art has a funny way of doing that, doesn't it?