Auguste Toulmouche (1829-1890), Carl Larrson (1853-1919), Alexandre Cabanel (1823 – 1889) etc SLIDESHOW - Collection of artworks featuring books and readers from throughout history, for the delight of art lovers and bibliophiles. The act of reading, especially reading that is done by a woman, is a very common subject matter throughout art history, despite the paucity of women's education throughout the centuries.