Close Reading

The Lonely Field

The painting Christina's World by Andrew Wyeth grabs your attention with simplicity and mystery. The main focus of this piece is a woman in a soft pink dress. She is lying unusually in an empty field looking back at an old house. The grass seems to be dried out because it is a brown color, instead of the usual vibrant green. The woman's body is in a contorted position and her hair is flying away from her head. This leads me to think that she had just fallen. The way she is looking off toward the house makes it seem like she was runnig toward it. Her face is turned away toward the house so her expression is not apparent. But, the placement frantic hands make her seem almost fearful. It is obvious that this is not just a leisure day of relaxing in the field. She is attentive, and ready for something to happen. The color of the grass and the grey sky gives the mood a dark and grim feeling. These colors give off a vibe that a bad situation is taking place. Christina's World is an extremely expressive painting meant to be interpreted however the viewer sees it.