Artwork
The Drawing Lesson (Berthe Morisot and her Daughter Julie Manet)
The Drawing Lesson (Berthe Morisot and her Daughter Julie Manet) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Berthe Morisot. It dates from 1889 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1889, this drypoint print portrays the artist herself, Berthe Morisot, guiding her daughter Julie Manet in a drawing exercise. Executed on laid paper, the composition captures a domestic interior where the mother and child share a quiet, focused moment at a small table.
Subject & Meaning
The image centers on Morisot seated sideways, observing Julie as she sketches. A teapot and cup rest nearby, underscoring the everyday, intimate setting. The work reflects the artist’s personal interest in motherhood and education, presenting art‑making as a familial activity.
Technique & Style
Moriset employed drypoint, a printmaking method that incises lines directly into the paper’s surface. The resulting marks are soft yet distinct, lending the scene a gentle atmospheric quality that aligns with the Impressionist emphasis on fleeting, intimate impressions.
History & Provenance
Berthe Morisot, a founding participant in the Impressionist exhibitions from 1874 onward, produced this print after a career that included regular showings at the Paris Salon. The work belongs to a series of images in which she frequently depicted her daughter, a subject that recurred throughout her later output.
Context
Morisot’s close friendship with the family of Édouard Manet—Julie’s uncle—situated her within a network of leading French artists. The print’s domestic theme resonates with the broader Impressionist interest in modern life, extending that focus from public cafés to private, home‑based study.
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.
