Green grass, green tree overhead, green-ish brook, green on the other side of the brook, these are the first things you note. But, so save us from a green overload, we have a heroine sitting in the middle of our picture, a young girl, maybe 10 years old, she is sitting Indian style beside our peaceful brook, reading a book. She is adorned in a white apron, and her hair is pulled back with a red ribbon that absolutely pops in start contrast to the rest of the relative monochromatic nature of the rest of the piece. She is the picture of tranquility and innocence.
I had a large framed picture in my room once, not so long ago, when I was 8 years old. The star of this picture was lying on her stomach under a tree, munching an apple, and reading a book. She was the picture of all that was indulgent and lovely, which was why my mother had placed her in my room, to encourage me to read. It actually worked, and I prepared myself with a book and an apple, went to my own tree in my backyard, and did my damndest to copy the girl in my bedroom. Unfortunately, it was a very hot summer day, the bee’s were active and I didn’t care for apples OR books, and my little fantasy was squashed. But, “Reading by the Brook” evokes similar desires to replicate this serene situation. It makes me want to be carefree and innocent. And, yet, the realistic part of brain is skeptical about how lovely this situation really is. Reading Indian style is not very comfortable, and I would imagine this girl would have to wiggle around quite a bit to stay comfortable. And, any weather that can make everything so green is rather hot weather, so we musn’t forget the sweat that is probably trickling down her back. And, how many 10 year olds do you know that can sit still for any length of time? There is also the unfortunate possibility that she is reading a boring Latin book, or other such mandatory literature, and not a fantastically magical book.
Now, you must think I am rather negative to say...