Girl Seated

Girl Seated, created by Berthe Morisot in 1894, is a delicate and intimate example of the artist’s mastery of watercolor during her mature period. Classified technically as a drawing, this piece exemplifies Morisot’s characteristic freedom and immediacy, qualities often explored in works created during the late Impressionist movement, encompassing the period from 1876 to 1900. Utilizing watercolor on paper allowed Morisot to capture light and atmosphere with a unique lightness unavailable in heavy oils, focusing on the transient moment of observation rather than fixed reality.

Morisot, a central figure in the Impressionist circle, specialized in portraying scenes of domestic life, focusing primarily on women and children. In Girl Seated, the figure is rendered with fluid, rapid brushstrokes, allowing the underlying white of the paper to interact with the sheer pigment washes to create areas of luminosity. This watercolor technique avoids harsh outlines, instead suggesting form through pools of color and carefully placed accents. The result is a work that feels spontaneous and informal, reinforcing the sense of everyday observation that characterized much of the French Impressionist output of the late nineteenth century.

As both a draftsman and painter, Morisot utilized drawing, particularly in watercolor, for both preparatory studies and highly finished works, valuing the medium for its inherent spontaneous quality. By the time this work was executed, Morisot was exploring approaches that subtly bridged Impressionism with emerging Post-Impressionist styles, maintaining her dedication to depicting fleeting subjective experiences. This significant piece of late nineteenth-century draftsmanship is proudly held in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art. While the original drawing resides in the museum, the enduring appeal and historical importance of the image have made high-quality reproductions and digital prints widely available via the public domain.