Portrait of Julie 1889

Berthe Morisot, a leading female Impressionist, rendered this pastel portrait of her daughter, Julie, sometime in the late 19th century. During this period, women artists navigated a patriarchal art world, often confined to domestic subjects. Morisot, unlike many of her peers, often chose to depict intimate scenes of women's lives. Julie, her only child, appears frequently in her oeuvre. Here, Julie’s soft gaze and delicate features evoke a sense of gentle introspection. The loose, expressive strokes capture the fleeting nature of childhood, while hinting at the complex bond between mother and daughter. Morisot once said, "I don't think there has ever been a man who treated a woman as an equal, and that's all I would have asked for, because I know I'm worth as much as they are." This artwork reflects the realities and emotional landscapes of women and girls, rendered through a distinctly female gaze. Morisot invites us to contemplate the personal and societal experiences that shaped the lives and perspectives of women during the Impressionist era.