On a Bench 1889

Berthe Morisot made this oil painting, entitled 'On a Bench,' with brushes, paint, and canvas. Morisot was part of the Impressionist circle in France. A key aspect of this movement was its emphasis on working "en plein air," meaning "in the open air." This approach was made possible by paint sold in tubes, a relatively new innovation. Before, artists mixed their own paint. The readymade colors allowed for more spontaneous creativity; just squeeze it out and apply it to the canvas. Morisot made this painting with loose brushstrokes that create a sense of immediacy. The bench, the background, and the sitter’s clothing all blend into one another. This was a deliberate technique to convey an impression of what Morisot saw and how she saw it. Although she worked with newly available, industrially produced materials, she treated them in a way that still valued the unique touch of the artist’s hand. This work reminds us that every artwork is a product of specific material conditions and social changes.