Portrait of the Artist's Daughter, Julie Manet, at Gorey 1886

Berthe Morisot captured this pastel portrait of her daughter, Julie Manet, at Gorey. Morisot, as one of the few female Impressionists, navigated a world that often sidelined women. Her work offers a deeply personal view of domestic life and motherhood, realms traditionally assigned to women but often overlooked in the art world. Here, Julie is depicted absorbed in a book, a quiet moment framed by dappled light and soft colors. It speaks to the intimate bond between mother and daughter, but also to the intellectual life of women. Morisot once wrote in a letter, "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 invites us to consider the ways in which women artists like Morisot challenged societal expectations, creating profound, beautiful art out of the everyday experiences of women's lives.