Young Woman Reclining

Young Woman Reclining by Berthe Morisot, executed in 1889, is a delicate example of the artist's engagement with printmaking. This particular impression is a drypoint on wove paper, a demanding intaglio technique where the artist uses a sharp point to scratch lines directly into a copper plate. Unlike etching, this method raises a burr of displaced metal along the edges of the line, which holds the ink and creates the characteristic soft, velvety quality visible in Morisot's final prints. Though primarily known as a painter and central figure in the French Impressionist group, Morisot produced a small but highly regarded body of graphic work late in her career, offering an intimate perspective on domestic life.

Morisot frequently depicted women in moments of quiet contemplation or relaxation, often drawing models from her private circle of family and friends. The subject here features a relaxed figure posed on a sofa or chair, rendered with the abbreviated, spontaneous handling typical of Morisot’s graphic style. The composition focuses on capturing a fleeting, internalized moment rather than detailed classical anatomy, aligning the piece with the tenets of Impressionism. This small-scale work demonstrates Morisot’s dexterity in translating the loose, atmospheric handling of her oil paintings into the linear structure of prints. The impression resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it serves as a valuable record of Morisot’s contributions to the graphic arts during the late nineteenth century. Such fine prints are essential for understanding the full scope of the artist’s oeuvre.