Berthe Morisot

French artist Berthe Morisot, although not a key figure in the formation of Impressionism, played an important role in its development. She was the wife of Edouard Manet’s brother. A student of the most recognized master Camille Corot, she was a progressive artist and achieved stunning heights in arts, especially in painting portraits. Morisot’s paintings are a vivid example of lyricism, femininity and, at the same time, the resilience and courage of the innovator.

The artistic catalogue of Berthe Morisot contains about 400 paintings. She did oil paintings, watercolors and graphics. The French Impressionist had many followers around the world, especially among female painters.

Key ideas:

– One of the few Impressionist women, Berthe Morisot managed to fully convey her main principles in her works. Depicting women’s everyday life events on the canvas, she filled her works with light, air and an unusual harmony of colors.

– Morisot’s friends called her “the master of color.” The artist created a sense of space and depth thanks to the use of saturated colors and an abundance of white, in both pure and mixed forms.

– At first glance, the subjects of Morisot’s paintings are simple and ordinary. The artist did many individual or group portraits, for which family members and friends of the artist became models. Sometimes she painted landscapes or still-lifes. Nevertheless, the audacious artistic temperament and self-confidence can be seen in each work.

– Light and joyful works of the artist were favorably accepted at the official Salon de Paris and enjoyed success. Despite this, Berta joined a circle of outcasts; in modern society, female artists were seen as peculiarities. She showed considerable resilience to criticism and challenged these societal standards.