Women Reading

This intriguing painting is called 'Forbidden Books', by the British artist Alexander Mark Rossi (1840-1916). This is apparently his best-known work, and you can see why -- it tells a story, and we all love that. I assume it's taking place in a school or college, but you do wonder what the books are and why, if they are so shocking, they are apparently available on the open shelves of the library. What's in them to absorb the girls so much? And the eavesdropper seems to be rather unhealthily absorbed in their discussion.