The Reader 

"The Reader" is a painting by French artist Honoré Daumier, known for his satirical and realist portrayals of 19th-century life. This oil painting depicts a man, likely a working-class individual, absorbed in reading a book. The stark lighting and contrasting colors highlight the subject's intense focus, creating a sense of quiet contemplation and highlighting the power of literature. Daumier's masterful use of brushstrokes and his emphasis on the subject's face, with its worn features and furrowed brow, conveys a sense of character and societal context, typical of his work.