Berthe Morisot - Lake Oswego Art Literacy

Berthe Morisot
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The Presentation
1. Self-Portrait with Julie
1885, oil on canvas, 28-3/8” x 35-13/16”, Private collection
In this self-portrait with her daughter, Julie, Morisot represents herself
as a painter and a mother (she struggled, much as modern women do,
with the demands of work versus family life). She frequently painted
one or two figures with one figure often turned away from the viewer.
This allowed her to portray restless children, such as her own
daughter, who appears in this portrait. Family members were frequent
subject matter.
Here Morisot paints with loose, slashing brush strokes that she
What word would you use to
describe the “look” of this painting?
doesnʼt try to blend or hide, while leaving areas of the canvas
unpainted. This canvas has become discolored and orange since it
was left unprimed. The texture of both the canvas and the heavy brush strokes are evident. This
treatment gives the work a spontaneous look, which many people labelled “unfinished,” even thought it
was characteristically Impressionist. Despite the sketchy appearance of this portrait, Morisot unified the
canvas with an overall uniform distribution of white.
2. The Artistʼs Sister, Mme.Pontillon, Seated on the Grass
1867, oil on canvas, 17-3/4” x 28-1/2”, The Cleveland Museum of Art.
Berthe Morisot and her sister, Edma, spent several years painting
together until Edma married and became Bertheʼs frequent model.
Women and children were considered proper subjects for female
artists. This painting captures a moment in Edmaʼs day. As is typical of
the Impressionists, this genre scene is bathed in natural light.
Morisot repeated colors and elements to create a unified composition. The shape of the fan echoes the umbrella, while the texture of the
What is the dominant
color used here?
flower-dotted field resembles Edmaʼs floral print dress. The white dress with its
violet shadows echoes the white pages of the book and its lavender cover. The
overall surface treatment of loose, feathery brush strokes and visible paint textures gives this painting the
fresh and spontaneous feeling of a snapshot. This feeling is reinforced by the blurred carriage and the
mere suggestion of details. Morisot liked to use white highlights to indicate reflected light and applied it
throughout the predominantly green-toned composition. This use of a dominant color scheme unifies the
painting.
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3. The Harbor at Lorient
1869, oil on canvas, 17-1/2” x 28-3/4”, National Gallery, Washington, D.C.
Morisot painted this landscape “en plein air” (in the open air) while
visiting her sister Edma in the coastal city of Lorient. However, this
landscape is quite Impressionistic in its visible brush stokes, dappled
light and imprecise figures. Edmaʼs face is merely suggested while her
dress, with the pink reflections of the parasolʼs lining, is rendered in
quick bold strokes. Although the wall she is seated on is close to the
viewer, it lacks sharp detail. Morisot smudged the grays and browns with
no attempt to hide the texture of her strokes. It seems as if the wall is a
barrier between Edmaʼs world (an upper middle-class lady) and the
landscape itself.
What colors are repeated in
this composition?
Morisot integrates Edmaʼs figure into the scene through the repetition of colors, such as brown, yellow,
black and finally white tones that lead the eye from the figure across the water to the white house. This
helps to visually unify and balance this very asymmetrical composition. The repetition of the color blue in
the sky and its reflection in the water create the unifying dominant blue color scheme. This painting was
accepted into the Salon of 1870 but was criticized as being “unfinished.” Note even her signature is quite
sketchy in the foreground.
Fun Fact: This painting shows the influence of Morisotʼs teacher, Camille Corot, who painted outdoors.
Edouard Manet liked this painting so much, he was inspired to paint more outdoor scenes. Morisot gave
Manet this painting as a gift.
4. The Artistʼs Sister at a Window
1869, oil on canvas, 21-5/8” x 18-1/4”, National Gallery, Washington, D.C.
Once again Morisot used her sister Edma as the figure in a genre scene, this
time in an interior setting. The long white dress became a frequent motif, and
here it reflects the light coming through the open window. Edma is separated
from the city outside by the balcony railing which acts as a barrier, keeping
limits on Edmaʼs world (proper women in 19th century France would not
venture into the city unchaperoned or unescorted).
The patterns on the door, wallpaper, balcony grill and building façade all
repeat similar shapes which unify the elements of the painting. Areas of
green and pink color repeat to keep the eye moving through the
What colors do you see in
asymmetrically balanced composition. Despite the large area of white
the “white” dress?
used for the dress, it is not solid white; note all the various colors used—
yellow, pink, blue, green—which repeat in areas of the background. Even the shapes of the dress and
chair (both with skirts at the bottom) are identical. Thus Morisot integrates and unifies her figure into the
setting.
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5. Terrace at Meudon (On the Balcony)
1872, oil on canvas, 23-5/8” x 19-5/8”, Art Institute of Chicago
This painting shows Morisotʼs sister, Edma, and her niece on the balcony of
the family home overlooking the city of Paris. The vast horizon in the distance
gives a sense of detachment as the balcony railing separates the two figures
from the city. The child faces the city while Edma looks on protectively. This
genre scene is original and typical of Morisotʼs work. She portrayed the life of
the bourgeois family using family members as models. It is the technique that
is unprecedented and striking, not the subjects themselves.
Morisot used color to balance this contrasting and asymmetrical composition.
The large black dress would seem to overpower the small childʼs white dress,
yet by having the adult bent over at the waist, she distributes her weight into
Describe the balance
the space above the child, giving that area a long line of shapes to balance the
in this painting. vast area of black in her skirt. The texture of the brush strokes is evident in the
umbrella and the little girlʼs dress. Shapes are diffuse in the foreground and
background, suggested simply by areas of color with few details. This uniform surface treatment lends
unity to the scene, as do the spots of white, yellow, blue and red/pink color that repeat throughout the
composition.
6. The Cradle
1873, oil on canvas, 22” x 18”, Musée dʼOrsay, Paris
This is a portrait of Morisotʼs sister, Edma, gazing at her infant daughter,
Blanche. The composition is very symmetrical and balanced. Morisot has
skillfully distributed the darker colors to offset the lighter colors on each side of
the painting. The soft texture of the curtains on the left echoes the texture of the
sheer veil over the cradle. The blues, yellows, whites and pinks repeat
throughout the scene lending overall unity through color repetition and surface
treatment. Edma has her right hand on the cradle and her left on her chin to
balance Blancheʼs pose, visible through the canopy. The large area of loose
brushwork, using whites dotted with pink on the border of the veil, is balanced by
the more controlled brush work of Edmaʼs detailed face.
Fun Fact: This painting was exhibited at the first Impressionist exhibition in 1874
along with Claude Monetʼs “Impression: Sunrise.”
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Where did the artist
repeat texture? 4 Berthe Morisot
7. Young Woman in a Ball Gown
1879, oil on canvas, 28” x 21-1/4”, Musée dʼOrsay, Paris
The Impressionists frequently depicted life in the city streets, cafes and
theatres. However, as a woman, Morisotʼs choice of subject was more
restricted than her male colleagues. She posed this fashionably dressed
woman against a lush array of white blooms at the moment before the young
lady would depart for the ball. Rather than natural light from the outdoors,
Morisot focused on the glow of artificial light reflected on the scene.
The painting is a study in whites that include bluish tones in the bodice of the
dress and gloves, rich creamy whites broken with green tints in the flowers on
the dress and background, and soft, pearly tones in the skin. The even
distribution of white creates unity through uniform surface treatment.
What types of brushHowever, the brushwork is not uniform. The background flowers show the
strokes can you find? influence of her brother-in-law and mentor, Manet, with the broad and
vigorous textures of the brush strokes. The lighter more delicately controlled accents on the face, choker
and flesh have a smoother texture by contrast. The diagonal row of flowers on the bodice of the ladyʼs
dress is repeated in the row of large white blossoms in the background. Morisot has integrated and
unified the figure into the setting by these color and shape repetitions.
Fun Fact: This painting was bought by the French government and became one of the first Impressionist
paintings to enter a French museum. Morisot viewed this achievement as her official liberation from the
amateur status in which the public had held her.
8. In the Garden (Women Gathering Flowers)
1879, oil on canvas, 24” x 29”, National Museum, Stockholm
This painting of two women, seemingly unaware that they are being
observed, is an example of Morisotʼs goal to “capture something that
passes.” However, the subject is given less importance than the attention
Morisot gave to the patterns of color and brushwork. The overriding color
scheme is green, however many additional colors are included to show the
effect of the dappled sunlight reflecting on the subjects.
Typical of Morisotʼs compositions containing two figures, one is turned
How do the two figures
balance the composition? away from the viewer and their poses contrast and balance each other.
The repetition of color integrates the figures into the setting. Notice the
blue used for the seated figureʼs dress is repeated in the central background trees, while the yellowish
green of the other figure is repeated in the trees on the right. The texture of the womenʼs skirts is
identical, flowing into each other and almost becoming part of the grass in the foreground, and we cannot
tell where one begins and the other ends. The blur of bold flickered paint shows the speed of Morisotʼs
brushwork, while texture of the seemingly random jabs and slashes unifies the scene.
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9. SCANNING: Lady at Her Toilette
c. 1880, oil on canvas, 23-3/4” x 31-5/8”, Art Institute of Chicago
The private daily ritual of combing hair, bathing, dressing and applying
makeup became a popular Impressionist subject in the 1870s and
1880s. Many of these compositions included mirrors and figures
shown with their backs to the viewer, as in this painting. The woman in
this painting is the only distinct shape in the scene, yet she has
become so integrated into the background that she seems to dissolve
into a cloud of powder and dazzling light. This is due to the similar loose
brushwork used at the edges of her figure and in the areas surrounding her
What elements create
body. The texture of the bold brushstrokes is all that defines the space of the
unity in this painting?
room and its furniture. The overall texture and color scheme give the painting
unity. Repetition of shapes, both in the mirrored reflection and within the composition, further unify the
painting. The composition is balanced; on the right, a large area of light color values balances a small
area of dark value to the left. The womanʼs pose is balanced along a central axis, and her bodice mimics
the shape of the jar (with the knob resembling the chignon of hair on her head) which integrates her into
the scene.
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Scanning Questions
Lady at Her Toilette
c. 1880, oil on canvas, 23-3/4” x 31-5/8”,
Art Institute of Chicago
Art Elements: What you see.
Color
• What color is used most in this painting?
(White.)
• Name the other colors that appear in the areas that appear white. (Blue, pink, yellow, green and brown.)
Texture
• How would you describe the texture of the brush strokes in this painting? (Feathery with visible texture.)
• Where did the artist use identical textures? (On the dress and in the background wall and furniture.)
Art Principles: How the elements are arranged.
Balance
• What type of balance do you see in this painting? (Asymmetrical.)
• What balances the large light area on the right? (The smaller dark area on the left.)
Unity
• How does the artist unify the painting? (Repetition of color and texture.)
• Could you remove anything and still have a unified composition? (No.)
Technical Properties: How it was made.
• Do you think the artist tried to hide her brush strokes or show them off? (Show them off.)
• Did she work quickly or slowly? How can you tell? (Quickly, because she did not try to hide her brush
strokes by blending them together.)
Expressive Properties: How it makes you feel.
• Does the model seem aware that she is being watched?
• If you were the model, what might you be thinking of?
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10. Eugene Manet and His Daughter in the Garden
1883, oil on canvas, 23-5/8” x 28-3/4”, Private collection
The only man Morisot ever painted was her husband Eugene Manet. Here
he is depicted in the garden near a small circular pond with their daughter,
Julie. Julieʼs back is turned to watch a red toy boat that draws our attention
as the only complementary accent in a predominantly green scene. The
leaves and grass rendered in dabs of green, yellow and white are
arranged in a sort of circular frame around the two figures. Unity is
achieved by uniformly applied dabs of color and texture. In addition,
repeated strokes of red, brown, purple and black bring the eye to the
various shapes in the composition. They are merely suggested forms or
impressions of chairs, dresses, pants, shoes and reading material. The
looser brushwork, along with highlights to show the effects of dappled light,
reflects Morisotʼs Impressionistic style at its height.
Can you describe the
brushstrokes in this work?
11. Woman Seated in the Bois de Boulogne
1885, watercolor on paper, 7-1/2” x 8-1/4”, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
In her later years, Morisot came under the influence of Pierre-Auguste Renoir.
Renoir worked from preparatory sketches before painting his oils and the
practice was widespread among the Impressionists. Consequently Morisot
began to make pastel and watercolor sketches outdoors instead of painting
directly onto the canvas in oil. This watercolor is quite small, but the
composition is very complete despite the economy of strokes used. The profile
of the modelʼs face is rendered with only a half dozen marks and the distant
carriage is created with three or four miniature flicks of paint.
What is the
predominant color
used in this painting?
The overall cool color scheme of blues and greens is broken up by red, orange
and yellow accents on the umbrella and the womanʼs hat. The brushwork is reminiscent of the strokes
used in Morisotʼs oils and has the same effect of showing off the texture and rapid technique of her work.
The composition is balanced by color and is symmetrical in visual weight. The blue figure and the blue
umbrella, although not identical in shape, balance the left and right sides of the painting. Areas of texture
and smooth areas of solid color are evenly distributed throughout the composition lending unity to the
painting.
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12. Cottage Interior (Interior at Jersey)
1886, oil on canvas, 19-11/16” x 23-5/8”, Musée dʼIxelles, Belgium
This painting shows Morisotʼs daughter, Julie, at their vacation cottage.
She stands near a window opening onto a seascape, with the window
frames creating a physical barrier between the indoor setting and the
outside world. She is turned away from the viewer and appears to be in a
quiet, reflective mood with no interest in the outdoor scene. The calm
mood of the setting is in contrast to the vivid, bright colors and visibly
active brushwork.
What are the
complementary colors
used in this painting?
The use of complementary colors to show the effects of light on color and
shadow was a popular technique of the Impressionists. Here Morisot uses
touches of complementary orange to interrupt the overriding blue and white
color scheme. She achieves balance and unity in the composition with her skillful distribution of these
colors.
Julieʼs figure is integrated into the scene through repetition of color and texture. For example, the
latticework of the chair in the foreground resembles the color and linear texture of the masts seen through
the window out on the horizon. This unifies the composition and connects this interior element with the
exterior setting.
The composition is completely balanced in terms of shape and color distribution. Bold sweeping textured
paint on the left is balanced by smaller brighter areas of color rendered in streaks and dashes on the
right.
13. Little Girl Reading (La Lecture)
1888, oil on canvas, 29-3/4” x 36-1/2”, Museum of Fine Arts,
St. Petersburg, Florida
Although this setting is outdoors, Morisot used several compositional
devices to show that a 19th century womanʼs world was closed and turned
in on itself. She surrounded the figure with the bird cage on the left, the
wall with its railing, the palm frond that arches over the sitterʼs head and
the window pane on the right. The window does not open to a view, but
rather shows a reflection of the modelʼs back. Repetition of texture
integrates the girl into the setting. Her wicker chair has the same
Which textures are
repeated in this painting?
crisscrossed texture as the palm fronds, bird cage, railing, trellis and
window pane design. The figure is further integrated and unified into the
scene by repetitions of color juxtapositions. The repeated use of complementary blue and orange or
green and red also adds vibrancy to the more contemplative mood of the scene. Finally, the even
distribution of white highlights to show dappled sunlight unifies the composition through overall similar
surface treatment.
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14. The Cherry Picker
1891, oil on canvas, 53-1/2” x 35”, Private collection
Morisot executed more versions of this painting than any other work. Her daughter
Julie posed standing on the ladder, while Jeanne Bonnet (the model used in “Little
Girl Reading”) is holding the basket to collect the fruit. Once again one of the
figures is shown with her back towards the viewer in typical Morisot fashion. The
white dresses are a repeated element and help the figures stand out against the
predominantly green color scheme. The dresses are not solid white; they contain
various colors to represent shadows, and although Julieʼs dress is more smooth
and finished, Jeanneʼs dress is more “unfinishedʼ with the texture of the brushwork
very visible. Morisot balances two rhythms here. The upward movement of
Jeanne on tiptoe and the vertical ladder are balanced by the downward flow of the
fruit-laden branches and the long vertical flow of Julieʼs dress. The overall
surface treatment of similar texture and color unifies the composition.
Is this composition
balanced? How?
15. Girl with a Greyhound (Julie Manet)
1893, oil on canvas, 28-3/4” x 31-1/2”, Musée Marmottan, Paris
Morisotʼs only child, Julie, is the subject of this unfinished portrait with her
dog, Laertes. The style of painting is reminiscent of the “Self Portrait with
Julie.” Large areas of the canvas have been left uncovered with the texture
of the canvas showing through. Shapes are merely suggested in broad
bold brushstrokes, and Morisot makes no attempt to hide the process
here. Elements are repeated to unify the sketchy interior setting. The
peach color used for the sofa is repeated in the Japanese print above
Julieʼs head. The complementary blue is used on the chair, wall and
Where is the texture of
highlighted tones of Julieʼs black dress. Morisotʼs textured brushstrokes are so
Morisotʼs brushstrokes
most visible?
fluid that one shape flows into another. The greyhound and the sofa appear to
blend into one another. Julie seems to float in the shallow space of the room
with the furniture merely sketched into the scene. Here again, the second
figure, in this case a dog, has his back turned to the viewer in this genre scene. Uniform surface texture
and repeating colors unify the composition that is an “impression” of Julie Manet.
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