10 Brilliantly Bookish Paintings

From scrolls to Kindles and the Libby App, books have stayed an indispensable part of our lives for centuries. Sure, the way we read has changed over time, but the significance of books has remained unwavering. It only makes sense that artists have been incorporating books and reading into their work since the beginning of time practically.

Here are 10 different paintings of various styles depicting a few of our favorite literary things.

Piles of French Novels by Vincent van Gogh

Van Gogh, a fan of contemporary writers of the time such as Emile Zola and Guy de Maupassant, believed these authors captured the world they lived in so perfectly that he read their books over and over again. While most of us know Van Gogh for his art, he is also known for his fascinating letters that give both artists and readers insight into his world.

In fact, a number of his letters state he owed his sanity to reading and re-reading his favorite books. Piles of French Novels shows a stack of his favorite books.

The Bookworm by Carl Spitzweg

Spitzweg’s art is considered to be part of the Biedermeier period, which was an era in Central European art during which the middle classes grew in number and artists began creating pieces that were appealing to their sensibilities. This period began with the end of the Napoleonic Wars and ended with the Revolutions of 1848.

The Bookworm represents the introspective and conservative mood of the time but also pokes fun at that attitude by depicting an old scholar unconcerned with what’s going on in the mundane world.

The Library by Jacob Lawrence

Jacob Lawrence took to history books and novels to research many of his paintings. When asked, he said that looking back at his high school years. He remembered that black culture was “never studied seriously like regular subjects,” and he had to teach himself by visiting libraries and museums.

Lawrence colorfully captures a crowded reading room at the 135th Street Library, now the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, where the first significant collection of African American literature, history, and prints opened in 1925.

Landscapes and Beauties by Utagawa Kuniyoshi

This entire series colorfully depicts women who feel a sort of eagerness for something with framed pictures of landscapes related to regional specialties. The print we’re particularly interested in depicts a woman with the book she is wanting to read next.

The framed scene features whitebait fishing at Nishinomiya of Settsu, present-day Hyogo, which originates from the book Sankai meisan zue.

Still Life with Book and Candle by Henri Matisse

A creation of Henri Matisse, this artwork captures the various textures of assorted books and a candle, giving the slightest glimpse into a scholarly environment. We see an open and possibly folded newspaper beneath the books, suggesting that perhaps someone had recently enjoyed a quiet moment that was temporarily paused.

Girl Reading by Charles Edward Perugini

An Italian-born Romantic painter who lived and worked in Victorian England, Charles Edward Perugini is most known for depicting classical scenes, later shifting to more profitable subjects such as portraits and family paintings.

In Girl Reading, we see a woman sitting on a marble bench completely enthralled by what she is reading. It’s been said that this piece was inspired by Perugini’s wife.

Portrait of Gertrude Stein by Pablo Picasso

Famous writer Gertrude Stein was among the first Americans to be enthusiastic when it came to European avant-garde art. She would often hold salons in her Paris apartment populated by European and American artists and writers.

For Pablo Picasso, this early friendship and support was crucial to his success. This portrait was painted between 1905 and 1906 at the end of the “Rose Period.”

The Library of Thorvald Boeck by Harriet Backer

Jurist Thorvald Boeck was a book collector and was famous for living all of our dreams by having the largest private library in all of Oso at the time.

His library is chronicled by Harriet Backer and the painting is on display today at Oslo’s National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design.

Book Transforming Itself Into a Nude Woman by Salvador Dali

Surrealist painter Salvador Dali is best known for his fantastical work. This particular piece was shown in Chicago, New York, Venice, and London before being made into a private collection, where it currently resides.

A Young Girl Reading by Jean-Honore Fragonard

In 1769, French Rococo painter Jean-Honore Fragonard began a series of canvases now known as The Fantasy Figures. Of this series, A Young Girl Reading is the only piece in which the subject is not directly facing the viewer, making the viewer feel a sense of mystery, wondering what the girl might be reading.

In the late 1990s, an X-ray was taken of the painting which showed a drawing of the young woman turned towards the viewer, it remains unknown why Fragonard changed his mind and painted the version we see today.