Autoportrait
Berthe Morisot·1885
Historical Context
Morisot painted relatively few self-portraits, making this 1885 canvas in the Musée Marmottan one of the most significant records of her self-image. By the mid-1880s she was among the most established members of the Impressionist group, having participated in seven of the eight group exhibitions. The directness of the gaze and the confidence of the brushwork project a self-assured artistic identity that contrasts with the more vulnerable or distracted poses she gave to many of her other female subjects. The Marmottan holds the most important single-institution collection of her work.
Technical Analysis
Morisot employs her characteristic feathery, abbreviated brushwork throughout face and clothing, making no concession to the smooth finish conventional in portraiture. The background is rapidly blocked in, drawing all attention to the face.
