Untitled (Girl Reading) 1938

Here is a drawing called, Untitled (Girl Reading), by Lorser Feitelson. Feitelson, a leading figure in the Southern California art scene, created this image which quietly unsettles traditional depictions of women. Here, a girl is captured not in active labor, or in a domestic setting, but absorbed in the solitary act of reading. Her slumber is not just a physical state but also suggests a mental retreat, a temporary secession from external expectations. The intimacy of the scene invites us to consider the emotional and intellectual life of the subject. This invites contemplation on the cultural and societal roles prescribed to women. What does it mean for a woman to claim intellectual space, to be seen resting with a book rather than performing expected duties? Feitelson’s drawing delicately balances a sense of vulnerability with a quiet assertion of individuality. It reminds us of the power of reading as a form of resistance and self-discovery.