Girl Reading at the Window c. 18th century

Curator: Let's turn our attention to "Girl Reading at the Window" by Anton Heinrich Riedel. Painted sometime between Riedel's birth in 1763 and death in 1824. Editor: Immediately, I'm struck by the way the light filters in. It's quiet, introspective. Makes me want to curl up with a good book, too. Curator: The window is a powerful symbol, appearing frequently across art history. It’s often interpreted as a threshold between the inner world and the outer world, the personal and the public. Editor: Absolutely, and the girl's absorption in the book – it’s like she’s completely sealed off in her own universe, despite being framed by the outside world. I wonder what she’s reading? Curator: Riedel’s work reminds us of the enduring power of the image. It speaks to our universal need for knowledge and the comfort we find in solitude. Editor: It does feel like stepping into someone’s secret space. Very intimate.