Review
“Art historian Jean-Dominique Rey’s new book,
Berthe Morisot (Flammarion, 2011), with an introduction by Musée d’Orsay curator Sylvi Patry, presents a comprehensive tribute to the life and career of the remarkable French artist, from her precocious talent as a child drawing and painting with her sister, to her strikingly loose works produced during the last years of her life.” ~Women in the Arts
Book Description
A comprehensive, illustrated tribute to the life and works of the most influential female Impressionist painter. Berthe Morisot won over the Impressionists with her talent and became the first woman of the period alongside Monet, Degas, Renoir, Pissarro, and Sisley. Morisot's paintings demonstrate how far ahead of her time she was when she created them, pioneering a new style of painting. However, she was underestimated for more than a century--most probably because she was a woman. This book, a comprehensive monograph showcasing the life and works of this influential artist, focusies on the important stages of her career, including her first participation in the Salon de Paris at the age of twenty-three in 1864. Moreover, the book assesses the significance of the time certain paintings were created, taking into consideration what was happening in the artist's life during that period. For example, in 1874 Berthe married Eugène, Manet's brother, and gave birth to their daughter, Julie Manet, who became the subject of many of Morisot's subsequent paintings. Berthe Morisot includes personal correspondence between Morisot and other important figures of the Impressionist movement, providing unique insight into this fascinating period. Portraits of her by her fellow artists have become significant works from the period. Likewise, she was heralded by the greatest writers of her time; a tribute anthology of citations from Paul Valéry, Stéphane Mallarmé, and Jean Cocteau offers an intimate portrait of the artist and her work. This book is an essential read for any lover of Berthe Morisot's work, and indeed for anyone who appreciates the work of the Impressionists. Her works can be found in: The National Gallery, Washington D.C., Cleveland Museum of Art, The Art Institute of Chicago, Dallas Museum of the Arts, The Art Institute Williamstown, Massachusetts, as well as many other institutions.
