Berthe Morisot. The artist's path

The name of Bertha Morisot is inextricably linked with the era of impressionism. The only woman in the circle of "rejected", successful artist, muse, la femme fatale of her time ... Berthe Morisot for her brief but bright life managed to conquer the heights of the picturesque Olympus and forever leave its indelible mark in the history of painting.

Youth and first successes

The future artist was born on January 14, 1841 in the family of wealthy bourgeois. Both Berta and her sister Edma began to show interest in painting early. Perhaps his role in the inclinations of the sisters was played by heredity - they were the grand nieces of Jean Honore Fragonard.

The French mores and social foundations of that time did not encourage a serious passion for girls painting. Of the two sisters, the professional artist was Bertha Moriso.

Her biography contains many interesting facts about the meeting with the famous barbizontsem Kamil Koro. It was he who directly influenced her becoming as an artist, taught skills in the transfer of the game of light and shade, instilled a love for landscape painting and work in the open air.

Already in 23 years of work, Bertha Morisot was shown at the Paris Salon. For six years, the paintings of the young artist were selected for official expositions of the Academy of Fine Arts. It was the recognition of her talent as the highest artistic light of that time.

Muse of Edward Manet

Impressionism, as a new trend in painting, became increasingly popular. In 1686 a meeting takes place, which overturns the whole future fate and career of the artist. Bertha Morisot meets Edward Manet, whose creativity she genuinely admires.

Between the girl and the artist a very original novel is tied. He asks her to pose for her paintings, enters the Impressionists circle and presents to her friends. The canvas "Bacon", presented by Edouard Manet at the next Salon, consolidated Morozo's reputation as a fatal woman.

However, as biographers note, the relationship between them has always remained platonic and did not go beyond the bounds of decency of that time. At the sessions for the "Balcony" Berthe Morisot invariably came with her mother, and Manet, despite the liberty of character, did not cross the line in the relationship with her. In all, he captured it in 16 of his canvases, leaving her image in history as a slightly sad, melancholic, but invariably beautiful woman.

Berthe Morisot: paintings and experiments

Impressionism, like a new trend in painting, was consonant with the tastes and moods of the artist. In 1874, she leaves the official Salon and adjoins the community of "rejected" Impressionists. Thus, Bertha Morisot was the first and only at that time an Impressionist woman.

The artist's legacy is about 400 works. In addition to the free impressionistic manner of writing, games with light, with the brightness of colors, her work is marked by special softness, lyricism. Portrait images created by her are especially intimate, in landscapes there is a light haze, inherited from the style of Corot.

The first personal exhibition of Bertha Morisot was held only in 1892, three years before the death of the artist.

Late marriage

Despite the tender and passionate feelings that Berthe Morisot had for Edward Manet, she married his brother. It is difficult to assess the motives for this act. At that time, the artist was already 33 years old - old age for that time.

Parents Morisot with suspicion and skepticism related to Eugene Manet, however, insisted on the marriage of her daughter. A woman at that age should not have been left alone.

This union turned out to be successful. Eugene strongly supported his wife in her work and stayed with her until her death in 1895.