Description
Berthe Morisot faces forward beneath a dark hat, its bow or ribbons contributing to the portrait’s strong graphic frame. The lighter face remains distinct within those surrounding dark forms, giving the likeness a concentrated presence. Manet presents a named sitter through the relation of features and clothing rather than placing her within a crowded narrative setting.
Dated 1872, the work combines etching and drypoint and represents the first of three states. The two techniques allow differing qualities of line to contribute to a single likeness, distinguishing the print from a painted portrait. Manet gives an individual face a concentrated graphic presence, keeping the image’s human identity close to its material form. Its appeal lies in that meeting of a named sitter and the particular marks through which the artist presents her.
Read our guide to giclée prints, browse more Édouard Manet prints, or explore Portrait of Berthe Morisot.
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