The famous Venetian playwright Carlo Goldoni praised Longhi’s works, because, like his plays, they favored the contemporary scenes of regular Venetian life. Longhi’s paintings, just like Goldoni’s plays, are full of humor and implication, portraying a light comedy of contemporary society, and provide an intimate look at like in 18th century Venice. This painting depicts the simple act of receiving a letter in a receiving parlor. A young girl opens a letter, with a coy glance at the letter bearer, standing at the right of the painting. An older woman and young girl sit by oblivious of the encounter. The painting hints at the everyday occurrences of flirting and bourgeois courtship, coyly illustrated in the painting.
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