Self-Portrait

Self-Portrait by Berthe Morisot French, 1841-1895, captures the artist during the height of her Impressionist career between 1880 and 1890. This intimate piece is classified as a drawing, executed primarily in pastel on gray laid paper that contains distinctive blue fibers. Morisot utilized the technique of stumping (smudging or blending the pastel) to achieve soft, atmospheric transitions, particularly in the rendering of her face and the surrounding background. As a key figure in the French Impressionist movement, Morisot often focused on domestic scenes and self-reflection, challenging traditional conventions regarding female artistic subject matter and perspective.

The quick application of the pastel and the loose, fragmented handling of line are characteristic of Morisot’s spontaneous style. Unlike formal, finished studio portraits, this work maintains the immediacy of a study, allowing the viewer insight into the artist's private world. Morisot (1841-1895) was instrumental in establishing Impressionism in France, exhibiting in almost every show from 1874 onward. The choice of pastel, with its luminous quality and rapid execution, was often preferred by the Impressionists for capturing fleeting effects of light. This important example of her introspective work, the Self-Portrait, currently resides in the distinguished collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. High-quality prints of this remarkable piece are often shared through public domain initiatives, ensuring widespread access to the mastery of this 19th-century French artist.