Young Girl with a Cat

Young Girl with a Cat is a delicate 1889 drypoint print created by Berthe Morisot (French, 1841-1895) and printed posthumously by Ernest Rouart (French, 1874-1942). Executed in black ink on cream laid paper, this work exemplifies the Impressionist artist's sustained interest in quiet domesticity and the intimate world of women and children. The piece showcases Morisot’s mastery of graphic techniques, complementing her better-known achievements in oil and pastel.

Morisot, a central figure in the French Impressionist movement, often confined her subject matter to private moments observed within her own home and social circle in France. Unlike her large-scale oil paintings, this print highlights her spontaneous draftsmanship. Drypoint, an intaglio technique where a sharp needle scratches directly into the copper plate, results in a rich, velvety burr that holds ink. This process lends the contours of the figure and the cat a soft, atmospheric quality, aligning the work with the Impressionist pursuit of capturing fleeting visual sensations. The classification as a fine art print underscores the importance of Morisot’s graphic work throughout the late 1880s.

The subject captures a young girl engrossed in a quiet moment of companionship with a small cat, a typical domestic scene favored by the artist. This edition was later overseen by Ernest Rouart, Morisot’s nephew and the husband of her daughter, Julie Manet, ensuring the legacy of the original plate. Significant prints such as this one, which provide insight into Morisot’s stylistic evolution, are critical references for scholars studying late 19th-century art. The artwork is permanently held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.