Berthe Morisot

Berthe Morisot is an intimate etching on cream wove paper created by the French Impressionist master, Pierre Auguste Renoir, 1841-1919, sometime between 1887 and 1897. This delicate print captures the likeness of Renoir’s close colleague, Berthe Morisot, a celebrated painter and a foundational figure in the Impressionist movement in France. Although Renoir is globally known for his vibrant oil paintings, this work highlights his skillful mastery of graphic arts, demonstrating how he could translate the expressive sensibility of his painting style into the linear clarity demanded by etching.

Dating from a period of significant consolidation within the Impressionist circle, this print provides valuable insight into the personal and professional relationships that defined the late 19th-century avant-garde. Renoir often depicted Morisot, recognizing her intellectual and artistic importance. The technical execution of the etching, which involves incising lines into a metal plate, allows for a spontaneity and light touch that mirrors the quick, observational qualities of Impressionist sketching. The fine, modulated lines defining Morisot's features lend the portrait an air of quiet dignity.

This specific impression of the print is held in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, a crucial institution for the study of 19th-century French art. The expansion of Renoir’s oeuvre into printmaking later in his career allowed for wider dissemination of his subjects. Today, high-quality images of this work, like many other historical prints by the artist, often reside in the public domain, ensuring global access for scholars and admirers of Impressionist artistry.