Berthe Morisot at Petit Palais

Berthe Morisot was a pioneering French painter born on January 14, 1841, in Bourges. Coming from an affluent family, she received a private art education alongside her sisters, fostering a deep passion for painting. Morisot first exhibited her work at the Paris Salon in 1864 and became a key figure in the Impressionist movement, participating in nearly all of its exhibitions from 1874 to 1886. Her innovative approach, characterized by light brushwork and a focus on domestic life and women’s experiences, distinguished her in a male-dominated art world. Married to Eugène Manet, brother of fellow artist Édouard Manet, she maintained close relationships with prominent Impressionists like Monet and Renoir. Art critic Gustave Geffroy recognized her as one of the three great ladies of Impressionism, alongside Mary Cassatt and Marie Bracquemond. Morisot's legacy endures as she broke barriers for women in art, leaving an indelible mark on the Impressionist movement before her death on March 2, 1895.