In addition to these technical developments, Impressionism was groundbreaking for another reason: its inclusion of women.
Edouard Manet invited Morisot to model for his painting, The Balcony, in 1868.
She is shown sitting.
Berthe Morisot, “Self-Portrait,” 1885 (Photo:Wikimedia CommonsPublic Domain)
Unfortunately, not many of these pieces exist today.
In 1874, they held their first independent exhibition.
Morisot showedThe Cradle, an oil painting that would eventually become her most well-known work of art.
Berthe Morisot (Photo:Wikimedia CommonsPublic Domain)
Feminine Style
For her entire career, Morisot’s work would continue to be described as feminine.
This characterization can be attributed to two predominant characteristics: a soft color palette and a delicate touch.
Her watercolors, her pastels, her paintings all show.
Édouard Manet invited Morisot to model for his painting, “The Balcony,” in 1868. She is shown sitting. (Photo:Wikimedia CommonsPublic Domain)
a light touch and unpretentious allure that we can only admire, critic Georges Riviere said in 1877.
Late Career and Legacy
Morisot continued to hone her feminine style as she navigated her career.
With the emergence of photography, she began experimenting with cropped compositions in the 1880s.
Berthe Morisot, “The Harbor at Lorient,” 1870 (Photo:Wiki ArtPublic Domain)
And, inspired by the graphic aesthetic of Japaneseukiyo-eprints, she played with line in the 1890s.
Berthe Morisot, “The Cradle,” 1872 (Photo:Wikimedia CommonsPublic Domain)
Berthe Morisot, “Hanging the Laundry out to Dry,” 1875 (Photo:Wikimedia CommonsPublic Domain)
Berthe Morisot, “The Cherry Picker,” 1891 (Photo:Wiki ArtPublic Domain)
Berthe Morisot, “Before the Mirror,” 1890 (Photo:Wiki ArtPublic Domain)
