Artwork
The Artist's Sister Edma Seated in a Park
The Artist's Sister Edma Seated in a Park is a watercolor drawing by the Impressionist artist Berthe Morisot. It dates from 1864 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Berthe Morisot’s watercolor *The Artist’s Sister Edma Seated in a Park* was executed in 1864. The work presents a young woman seated amid foliage, rendered with a light, fluid hand that captures the quiet atmosphere of an outdoor setting.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter is Edma Morisot, the painter’s sister, portrayed in a relaxed pose within a park landscape. The composition emphasizes a personal, intimate moment, suggesting a gentle domestic tranquility rather than a formal portraiture convention.
Technique & Style
Morisot employs loose, translucent brushstrokes characteristic of early Impressionist experimentation, allowing the surrounding trees and greenery to dissolve into soft washes. The watercolor medium enhances the sense of immediacy, while the delicate handling of light conveys a calm, almost meditative mood.
History & Provenance
Created during Morisot’s formative years, the piece coincides with her participation in the Paris Salon as a student of Joseph Guichard and Achille‑François Oudinot. The work reflects her early academic training before she fully embraced the Impressionist circle that later defined her career.
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.
