In the vein of the dutch genre genre painting initiated in the 17th century that depicted interior scenes; this painting by Johannes Cornelius Mertz (1819-1891) gives an intimate view of a woman pondering after reading a voluminous tome. The picture is signed and dated J.C. Mertz 1849 on the lower right corner of the canvas. The canvas is on an aluminum Starofix" stretcher that allows adjustments and maintains the canvas in perfectly balanced condition. It was restored by the Canevascini studio in Lugano, Switzerland. The size given is that of the frame i.e. W:33”; H: 39 3/4” whereas the canvas size is: W: 27”; H:33”