The Seine at Bougival 1884

Curator: Berthe Morisot’s "The Seine at Bougival," created in 1884, offers a glimpse into the leisurely pastimes of the French bourgeoisie. Editor: It feels so dreamlike! That water dominates everything, swallowing up the buildings and figures with these shimmering strokes of oil paint. The texture itself is almost a character. Curator: Absolutely. Morisot, part of the Parisian avant-garde, chose the then-suburban locale of Bougival as the site for this piece of en plein air painting. One can sense an emphasis on capturing the fleeting moment of light and atmosphere...a reflection, if you will, on the modern social life. Editor: But beyond the societal reading, there’s the tangible labor involved in creating those brushstrokes. The quick, broken strokes, they hint at a working-class efficiency adopted for high art. Think about the sourcing of the pigments themselves, their industrial production allowing for artists to take their craft outdoors with ease. Curator: Interesting. I am much more drawn to how Morisot navigated her position as a woman Impressionist. Consider the critical establishment that often marginalized women's art…She had to assert her presence within very patriarchal structures of power. The choice of this setting - Bougival – could be a way to portray modern leisure, as allowed to her class. Editor: Well, her method certainly aligns with contemporary Impressionists, and her individual handling is so unique. The haziness, the almost unfinished quality... you feel like you’re right there, standing by the water’s edge. And that the act of capturing it was urgent and necessarily imperfect. Curator: The "imperfect" nature of her work does speak to a kind of authentic experience, defying the strict Salon conventions, wouldn’t you agree? It opened pathways for future generations. Editor: Agreed. I keep thinking about the materiality though and this connection between manufacture, nature and painting itself. From canvas production to her rapid paint application – everything contributes to an immediacy that echoes both industrial production and organic change. Curator: What a fruitful way to view "The Seine at Bougival". I appreciate you pointing me to the role that material production may have on defining and viewing such an important painting in Impressionism's rich and complicated social story. Editor: And I am grateful for a broader sense of this painter's legacy!