On the Sofa

Early Life, Family and Artistic Training

Berthe Morisot was born on 14 January 1841 in Bourges, France. She grew up in an affluent bourgeois family where the lines between domestic life and art were often blurred. Her father, Edmé Tiburce Morisot, held the position of prefect of the department of Cher. Her mother, Marie-Joseph-Cornélie Thomas, brought a connection to the Rococo tradition as the great-niece of Jean-Honoré Fragonard. This lineage provided a backdrop of artistic familiarity from her earliest years.

Her training began with private lessons from Geoffroy-Alphonse Chocarne and Joseph Guichard. By 1858, she was spending her time in the Louvre, learning the mechanics of paint by copying the Old Masters. This period of study was supplemented by the guidance of Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot and Achille-Francois Oudinot. During the winter of 1863–64, she also turned her attention to the physical form through the study of sculpture under Aimé Millet.

The Impressionist Movement and Exhibitions

In 1864, Morisot showed her work for the first time at the Paris Salon. This was a significant step, as the Salon was the official gatekeeper of the art world. She did not remain confined to these traditional spaces. Instead, she became a member of the circle of painters in Paris who would eventually be known as the Impressionists. Her presence in this group was constant. Between 1874 and 1886, she participated in all but one of the eight Impressionist exhibitions held during those years.

The first of these gatherings took place in the studio of the photographer Nadar. It opened on 15 April and ran until 15 May 1874. This exhibition was a departure from the established norms of the time. Morisot was there alongside the others, helping to define a new way of seeing. She continued to exhibit with the group, bringing her specific perspective to the various shows held throughout the following decade.

Personal Life and the Manet Connection

The boundaries between Morisot’s private life and her art were often blurred. She grew up in a household with two older sisters, Yves and Edma, and a younger brother, Tiburce. In 1868, she became acquainted with Édouard Manet, a connection that grew into a deep mutual influence. He painted her many times, capturing her in various states of dress and mood, while she found her own way through the shifting light of Paris. Their relationship was one of intellectual exchange and shared artistic purpose.

In 1874, Morisot married Eugène Manet, the brother of Édouard. This union further embedded her within the circle of artists who were redefining modern painting. A daughter, Julie Manet, was born in Paris in 1878. Julie would grow up in a home where the boundaries between domestic life and the radical debates of the avant-garde were thin, often serving as a presence in the very rooms where art was created and discussed.

Technique and Artistic Style

Morisot’s approach to the canvas relies on a lightness of touch. She often worked outdoors, using the plein air method to catch the shifting qualities of light and atmosphere directly from nature. This habit of working in the open air allowed her to translate the transient nuances of color through loose, confident strokes. Her brushwork is fluid, moving across the surface with a sense of immediacy that avoids heavy, labored layers. She did not rely solely on oil; her practice included working in watercolours and pastel to explore different textures and light effects.

There is a specific way she handles the edges of her subjects. Instead of hard, defined outlines, she uses broken color and small strokes of pigment to build form. This technique creates a shimmering effect, making the air between objects feel as tangible as the objects themselves. In her depictions of domestic life, this method captures the soft glow on skin or the way light filters through a garden. The result is a sense of spontaneity, as if the scene were being recorded in a single, unhurried moment of observation.

Key Works and Iconic Paintings

In 1872, Morisot painted The Cradle, an oil on canvas that captures her sister Edma watching over her sleeping daughter, Blanche. The composition uses a diagonal line formed by the mother's gaze and the fabric of the crib to draw the eye toward the infant. This work marks the first time she explored the theme of motherhood, using a reduced number of colors and a fluid brushstroke to create an atmosphere of quiet, protective love.

Her presence appears frequently in the works of others, most notably in 1872 when Édouard Manet painted Berthe Morisot with a Bouquet of Violets. In this portrait, she is dressed in black mourning attire, with a barely visible bouquet of violets near her neckline. The light hits her from one side, leaving the other half of her face in deep shadow. This study in black tones highlights the contrast between her dark clothing and the lighter background.

Other significant pieces include:

• The Rest, portrait of Berthe Morisot, 1870
• The Hydrangea, 1894

Later in her career, she produced The Hydrangea in 1894. Her ability to translate the nuances of light and color through loose, confident strokes remained a constant throughout her years of painting.

Where to See Her Works Today

To see her brushwork in person, one might start in Paris. The Musée d'Orsay holds six of her paintings, including The Cradle. This work, which she painted in 1872, shows her sister Edma watching over a sleeping child. The Musée Marmottan Monet also keeps five of her works within its collection.

Beyond France, her presence is felt in Washington, D.C. The National Gallery of Art holds six of her paintings. In this collection, you can find Mother and Sister of the Artist, which she painted in 1869. Other pieces held in Washington include In the Dining Room and Hanging the Laundry out to Dry, both from 1875.

A few of her other works reside in different locations, such as the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid and the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm. These pieces allow for a quiet look at how she handled light and domestic scenes across different settings.

• Psyche
• The Hydrangea