Mademoiselle Louise Riesener in a Hat

Mademoiselle Louise Riesener in a Hat is an exquisite drawing created by the French Impressionist Berthe Morisot between 1877 and 1880. This intimate portrait is rendered using pastel on pale blue laid paper, a combination that emphasizes the sketch-like immediacy and luminous quality typical of the artist's mature style.

Morisot was a founding member of the Impressionist movement in France, frequently dedicating her output to domestic scenes, landscapes, and portraits of women and children. The choice of pastel allowed for quick, vibrant execution, enabling the artist to capture the fleeting expression of her subject while highlighting the textures of the voluminous hat and costume. The luminous effects achieved through the pastel medium contrast beautifully with the cool tonality of the underlying paper, giving the piece a delicate, ethereal atmosphere characteristic of late 19th-century French graphic arts.

The sitter, Mademoiselle Louise Riesener, was the daughter of Morisot’s cousin, Léon Riesener. This personal relationship contributes to the sense of candid observation and familiarity in the work. Rather than focusing on formal precision, Morisot sought to document character and mood, prioritizing light and movement over rigid form. This significant example of Morisot’s draughtsmanship resides in the permanent collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Due to its status as a historical work, high-quality prints of this Impressionist masterwork are often available through public domain initiatives, allowing wider access to the artist's foundational contribution to modern art.