art history: woman drawing

young woman drawing, 1801 by marie-denise villers

i think of this picture unusually often. something in her look, the leveling gaze. i remember standing in front of this painting and considering it on more than one occasion during field trips in college. and now when i revisit it, i wonder, why? certainly pretty--mostly quiet and simple, almost plain. but there's something in that gaze that keeps making me remember. and so, worth sharing!

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