Le Flageolet 1890

Berthe Morisot, an impressionist artist, painted “Le Flageolet” using oil on canvas. Morisot was part of a small group of female impressionist artists who had to struggle against the patriarchal art world of late 19th-century France, which considered women to be amateur painters. “Le Flageolet” depicts two young women in a domestic scene. The girl on the right is playing a flageolet, a simple woodwind instrument, while the other seems to be attempting to play the instrument as well. Morisot often chose domestic scenes as her subject matter, but her paintings were considered revolutionary in their portrayal of women as active subjects rather than passive objects. She seeks to capture moments of intimacy and connection between women. Morisot uses light and color to create a dreamy, ethereal atmosphere that invites the viewer to experience the emotional world of these young girls, thus challenging traditional representations of women.