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Reading

1873

Berthe Morisot

(French, 1841–1895)
Culture
France, 19th century
Medium
oil on canvas
Measurements
Framed: 74.3 x 100.3 x 12.1 cm (29 1/4 x 39 1/2 x 4 3/4 in.); Unframed: 46 x 71.8 cm (18 1/8 x 28 1/4 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of the Hanna Fund 1950.89
Public Domain
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Location
004 Special Exhibition Gallery
Print
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Did You Know?

The Impressionists were mostly men with a few notable exceptions, including Berthe Morisot. While Morisot's work includes many of the hallmarks of Impressionism, such as her loose brushwork, the subject matter of her paintings often reflects the social constraints of her gender. Her paintings often depicted domestic tableaux or images of her friends and family, such as this painting of her sister.

Description

Morisot’s sister, Edma, posed for this painting of a woman seated on her shawl in a field, her eyes on the pages of a book, with a parasol and fan discarded on the grass. Her white dress reflects the light and shadows of the outdoor setting; its delicate floral pattern echoes the meadow’s wildflowers.

X-ray examination reveals that Morisot revised Edma’s eyes, which previously looked directly at the beholder, in a manner more typical of Manet’s figures (see The Railway on view in this gallery). Whereas women in Manet’s paintings often return the viewer’s look, Morisot’s figures are usually absorbed in tasks or private reflection.
A horizontally oriented oil painting in loose brushstrokes depicts Edma Morisot, a woman with light skin tone in a white dress seated reading a blue book on a pink blanket over grass. The dress, blanket, and grass are all patterned with flecks of paint. The woman's facial features are only hazily suggested under a hat with a green veil hanging down. An open fan lies in the grass to her right and there is light brown grass in the background.

Reading

1873

Berthe Morisot

(French, 1841–1895)
France, 19th century

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