Woman with a Child in a Boat
Berthe Morisot·1892
Historical Context
Painted in 1892 and now in the Museu da Chácara do Céu in Rio de Janeiro, this canvas of a woman and child in a boat belongs to Morisot's sustained series of water subjects. Boating on the Seine, the Lac du Bois de Boulogne, or the rivers of her summer retreats provided ideal conditions for combining her interests in female leisure, outdoor light, and the reflective possibilities of water. The Brazilian museum's holding reflects the international reach of French Impressionism's collecting history.
Technical Analysis
The boat's interior creates a compact compositional space in which the two figures are closely framed. Morisot renders the water around the boat with her characteristic short, reflective strokes, the movement of the craft suggested through the slight tilt of the horizon and the disturbed surface of the surrounding water.
