Sarah Bernhardt Reclining on a Divan, Reading

Georges-Jules-Victor Clairin

Cleveland Museum of Art

The image depicts a sketch of a woman lying on a divan, reading. The woman has her head resting on her left hand and appears to be reclining on a divan or sofa with a pillow. The divan appears to have a flat section at the head and a rounded section at the foot. The woman wears a dark bodice or shirt; the rest of her attire is not detailed. The woman's right arm is bent at the elbow and rests on the divan next to a book; she holds the book open with her right hand. The book lies on top of a circular tray or plate. The background is mostly obscured but appears to have some shading suggesting folds in fabric. The entire image is drawn in shades of gray on brown paper. The artist's signature appears in the bottom-left corner.