Berthe Morisot (1841–1895), French, A pioneering figure in Impressionism, she brought an intimate, luminous quality to her paintings, often capturing fleeting moments of domestic life with a delicate yet confident touch. Unlike many of her male counterparts, she focused on the private spheres of women and children, infusing ordinary scenes—a cradle, a garden, a woman at her toilette—with quiet poetry. Her brushwork was loose and spontaneous, yet precise, with a mastery of light that made her canvases shimmer. Though overshadowed in her lifetime by peers like Monet and Renoir, her work now stands as a vital contribution to the movement, offering a distinctly feminine perspective rarely celebrated at the time.
Morisot’s privileged upbringing granted her access to artistic training, but societal expectations constrained her subjects. She turned these limitations into strengths, portraying the nuances of female experience with empathy and without sentimentality. Her palette, dominated by soft whites, blues, and greens, evoked tranquility, while her compositions often felt improvisational, as if caught mid-breath. Close friendships with Édouard Manet (whose brother she later married) and other Impressionists fueled her experimentation, though she never fully abandoned figuration for abstraction.
Despite critical dismissal in her era—one reviewer condescendingly praised her "charming little nothings"—her legacy endures. Today, her works are celebrated for their emotional depth and technical brilliance, reclaiming her place as a cornerstone of Impressionism.