Berthe Morisot and her daughter in front of a window 1887

Berthe Morisot made this painting with oil on canvas. Morisot’s painting displays her distinct impressionistic style characterized by visible brushstrokes and a light, airy quality. The materiality of oil paint itself, with its capacity for layering and blending, is central to the effect. The quick strokes suggest the fleeting nature of time and light. The painting is quite thinly applied, even sketchy in places, allowing the white of the canvas to show through and contribute to the luminosity of the image. It is this unfinished quality that suggests the social context in which Morisot, as a woman artist, worked. She, and other women of her era, did not have the same access to formal training, exhibition opportunities, and patronage networks as their male peers. This painting, with its subtle, suggestive brushwork, speaks to the artist's hand, as well as constraints under which she worked. Ultimately, the painting invites us to consider the ways in which the choices of materials and techniques are intertwined with the artist's personal experience and historical context.