Monday 29 December 2008

A Reading of Molière by Jean-François de Troy

1728

The atmosphere is comfortable, intimate. A couple of friends are closely seated around a man with a book in his hands (Molière). He has stopped reading for an instant to look at the ladies around him. One of them might have asked a question or laughed. The lady in blue is looking out of the portrait, revealing us as visible spectators. Another lady is leaning forward eagerly, wanting the reading to continue. Between them a lady is musing for a moment, or maybe she has also just noticed us.

My favourites are sitting to the left, those who are not listening to or interfering in the conversation. The man is perhaps slightly bored and is now resting his eyes on the woman in front of him, who silently returns his look, perhaps with a smile in her eyes; we don't know, because we can't see her face.

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