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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Rhodes chapter.

At a certain point, the objectifyingĀ paintings of women lounging around semi-nude becomeĀ frustrating. Here are eightĀ paintings of fully-clothed women expanding their minds through that great pastime: reading.Ā 

“Woman Reading in an Interior,” Carl Vilhelm HolsĆøe

“Reflections,” Ethel Porter Bailey

“The Housemaid,” William McGregor Paxton

“At Breakfast,” Laurits Anderson Ring

“Woman Reading on a Settee,” William Worchester Churchill

“Young Girl Reading,” Jean-HonoreĢ Fragonard

“Peaceful Reading,” Fernand Toussaint

“Morning Sun,” Harold Knight

“And to allĀ [her talents], [a lady] must yet add something more substantial, in the improvement of her mind by extensive reading.” ā€“Jane Austen, “Pride and Prejudice”

Eliza is the Assistant Editor for HerCampus Rhodes and is currently pursuing a degree in English Literature. Other than working for HC, Eliza also holds a leadership position in RUF. Ask her about sentence diagrams or Jane Austen to start a conversation.