Berthe Morisot

Berthe Morisot

Childhood

Berthe Morisot was born in 1841 near Bourges, France. Her parents name was Edme Tiburce Morisot and Marie Josephine Cornelie. Her father worked as a senior administrator for the local government, and her mother was related to Jean- Honore Fragonard, a rococo painter. Morisot had two older sisters Yves and Edma, also a younger brother Tiburce. Her family moved to Paris in 1853, and Morisot lived there for the rest of her life. She and her sisters received art education at a very young age. Joseph Guichard was one of their private tutors and a great painter. Joseph took them to Louvre, and there he taught them to make the copy painting on walls. After some time, Edma married a naval officer and moved away with her husband. She gave up her art interest, but she always encouraged Morisot to keep working. Check our new Floral Painitngs of  this artist and master oil paintings of  famous artists

Early training and work

Morisot established herself as a copyist in Louvre. But she got to know about other landscape painters while she was there. One of the landscape painters, Jean Corot, encouraged her to start working en Plein air. There Morisot started to produce her serious paintings. She studied painting with dedication during that period. She also studied sculpture. In 1864, turned 24, the official Parisian school accepted her paintings, and as a young woman, it was a great achievement. She continued to produce paintings for Salon, where her work was praised.

Mature period

In 1868, Morisot met Edouard Manet, an effective leader of Avant grade painting in Paris. At some time, Manet and Morisot became quite close and began to review each other's work. Manet respected Morisot's work. He also encouraged Morisot to take up en Plein air painting. Morisot was a painting subject for Manet, making him painted her 12 times. He published one of the most famous portraits of Morisot wearing a black dress. According to some theories, it is suggested that both of them were romantically involved as well, but they couldn't be together as Manet was already married. 

In 1872, Morisot sold 22 paintings to the private dealer Druand Ruel. It gave her a start to becoming an established artist. Through her connection with Manet, she was introduced to impressionist painting. Her work was included as the first-ever impressionist painting, which made her very important. In 1874 at the age of 33, she got married to Manet's younger brother Eugene. Many suggested that she married the second-best option when she didn't get Manet.

Late period and death

Morisot continued to paint after her marriage and filled her duty as a responsible wife and mother. In 1878 she gave birth to her first and only child, Julie. Morisot painted her daughter frequently, and Julie also posed for many other painters. She was close with many impressionist painters throughout her life and was very active in the impressionist group. She also organized the final impressionist exhibition in 1886 single-handedly, and after the impressionist group, she worked with Avent group artists.

Manet died in 1891 due to poor health in Paris. After three years, Julie suffered from pneumonia, and Morisot took care of her and nursed her back to health. But Morisot was severely ill too and died in 1895. Three years after her death, Morisot's friends drew 380 of her paintings as a tribute. In her time, Morisot was the first woman to achieve so many things. She was very dedicated to her work and dream of being an artist.