Berthe Morisot 1872

Curator: This is Edouard Manet's small etching of Berthe Morisot, currently residing here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: I find it immediately striking how Manet uses such limited line work to capture Morisot’s gaze. There's an undeniable melancholy in her expression. Curator: Indeed. Think about the labor involved in etching; the physical act of scoring the plate, wiping the ink, and the reproductive nature of printmaking. Consider Manet, a male artist, depicting Morisot, a fellow painter, within a system that often marginalized women artists. Editor: But Manet's mark-making creates such an interesting tension. The contrast of light and shadow sculpts her face—especially the hat, which feels almost unstable, defying conventional representation. Curator: Precisely. This isn’t just about aesthetic appreciation; it’s about understanding the economic and social structures influencing artistic creation and the exchange of images. Editor: A powerful and complex statement, even in this small format. Curator: Absolutely; understanding its production enhances its meaning. Editor: It's a fascinating exercise in visual economy.