The Drawing Lesson (Berthe Morisot Drawing with Her Daughter)

The Drawing Lesson (Berthe Morisot Drawing with Her Daughter) is an intimate drypoint print created by pioneering French Impressionist Berthe Morisot in 1889. This moving work captures the artist in a quiet domestic moment, focused on instructing her daughter, Julie Manet, in the art of drawing. The composition is characteristic of Morisot’s unwavering focus on the interior lives of women and children, often centering on her own family members and documenting the private sphere that was central to her subject matter throughout her career.

Morisot employed the drypoint technique, which involves drawing directly onto a metal plate with a sharp needle. This medium, classified under prints, is distinct because the displaced metal, known as the burr, holds ink and results in soft, velvety lines and rich tonal variations. Morisot masterfully utilized this inherent softness to evoke the fleeting light and gentle atmosphere typical of the Impressionist movement. The resulting image is immediate and sketch-like, emphasizing the maternal connection and the calm, shared activity of the lesson. Although widely known for her luminous paintings, Morisot's experiments in printmaking, particularly drypoint, showcase her technical versatility.

Created late in the 19th century in France, this depiction exemplifies the refined social environment of French society and the unique position Morisot held as one of the few recognized female figures central to the Impressionist group. Prints such as this circulated among collectors who appreciated the domestic sensibility and emotional honesty Morisot brought to fine art. Today, The Drawing Lesson is maintained as part of the significant collection of works on paper at the Cleveland Museum of Art, providing a crucial document of the artist's personal life and technical achievements in 1889.