Miss Reynolds 1884

Berthe Morisot painted "Miss Reynolds" using oil on canvas during a period when women Impressionists were challenging traditional artistic norms. Morisot often depicted women in domestic settings, subtly contesting the limited roles prescribed to them by society. Here we see the intimate portrayal of two women; one actively engaged in what seems to be needlework, the other attentively observing, creating a quiet, reflective atmosphere. This focus on domesticity, while seemingly traditional, provided Morisot a space to explore female relationships and interior lives, offering a counter-narrative to the objectified and idealized images of women prevalent in art at the time. Morisot once said, "I don't think there has ever been a man who treated a woman as an equal, and that's all I would have asked for, for I know I'm worth as much as they are." In "Miss Reynolds," we can see a quiet assertion of worth, a celebration of the everyday moments that define women's experiences.