signed lower right; Estate Inventory Number 2256 inscribed on the reverse
24 × 29 in (61.0 × 73.7 cm)
Sold
$1,200
Provenance
Collection of the artist’s family
This artwork hung prominently in the family home of Joan Roberts, wife of William Goodridge Roberts. The Roberts family collection consists of artwork from the painter’s estate as well as select work sourced through auction and private sale avenues, with an aim to assemble a collection of work that best represents the career of the artist.
The sitter in Goodridge Roberts’ “Joan Reading” is the artist’s second wife, Joan Roberts, whom he married in 1954. She is featured in many of Roberts’ figural studies, from nude oil paintings to pastel sketches such as this one. Joan’s candid, relaxed pose alludes
to a strong sense of intimacy in the picture, which is reinforced by our knowledge of the sitter’s relationship to the artist.
