Berthe Morisot (1841-1895), the granddaughter of the successful painter, Jean-Honore Fragonarde, studied at the Louvre, and beginning in 1860, became a precursor of the Impressionists. Her work appeared at the Salon in 1864 and for ten years after, until she joined the Impressionists Claude Monet, Camille Pissaro, and Edouard Manet. Morisot married Manet’s brother and their home became an informal salon frequented by artists and intellectuals.
In 1877, she showed her first exhibition to be labeled “Impressionist.” She used delicate colors and included a narrative content in her paintings. In her famous painting, “Lady at Her Toilette,” the woman is most likely taking down her hair after a social night out, probably so late that she has sent her maid to bed. Her posture is relaxed and one shoulder strap has slipped, and the flowers may be a sweet memento or simply a prop that society requires of women.
Through the history of art, there have been many women before mirrors. Here it is not about vanity or seduction, but a true intimate moment and emotional piece of her life that Morisot excelled in depicting.
“Lady at Her Toilette” c. 1875 is an oil on canvas and can be seen at the Art Institute of Chicago.