Artwork
The Coiffure
The Coiffure is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Berthe Morisot. It is held in the collection of the National Museum of Fine Arts, Argentina.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1898, The Coiffure is an oil painting by French artist Berthe Morisot. The work belongs to the genre‑scene tradition, depicting an intimate domestic moment. It is part of the collection of the National Museum of Fine Arts in Buenos Aires.
Subject & Meaning
The composition shows a woman seated before a mirror while another figure, positioned behind her, brushes the seated woman's hair. The setting includes a pink‑toned wall and a small yellow‑framed picture, emphasizing a private, everyday ritual of grooming.
Technique & Style
Morisot employs a soft, muted palette of whites, blues, and pinks, rendered with loose, expressive brushwork. The fluid handling of oil paint creates a sense of movement and subtly captures the play of light on fabric and skin.
Context
The painting reflects Morisot’s longstanding interest in domestic interiors and the lives of women, themes she explored throughout her career. By the late 1890s, her approach combined Impressionist sensibilities with a more intimate, narrative focus.
History & Provenance
After its creation, The Coiffure entered the collection of the National Museum of Fine Arts in Buenos Aires, where it remains on display as part of the museum’s European painting holdings.
Artist & collection
Artist
Berthe Marie Pauline Morisot (French: ; 14 January 1841 – 2 March 1895) was a French painter, printmaker and a member of the circle of painters in Paris who became known as the Impressionists.
Museum
National Museum of Fine Arts, Argentina
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