Impressionism1872
Berthe Morisot with a Bouquet of Violets
Édouard Manet
Curator's Eye
"The central element is the brutal side lighting that fragments Morisot's face, leaving one half in shadow while the other bursts with light. This technical choice accentuates the depth of her black eyes, which Manet deliberately darkened (Morisot actually had green eyes), lending the gaze a magnetic power."
A masterpiece of portraiture where Manet immortalizes Berthe Morisot in a symphony of deep blacks, capturing a rare psychological intensity. This painting celebrates the complicity between two major figures of modernity, using violent light contrasts to sculpt the painter's face.
Analysis
Painted in 1872, shortly after the end of the Franco-Prussian War and the Commune, this portrait occurs at a pivotal moment in the lives of Manet and his favorite model. Berthe Morisot, an exceptional painter herself, is not represented here painting, but as an icon of Parisian fashion, dressed in mourning attire. Manet explores the color black not as an absence of light, but as a vibrant and modular color, inherited from his admiration for Velázquez and Goya.
The work marks the pinnacle of the artistic relationship between Manet and Morisot. At this time, Morisot had become an essential member of Manet's circle, before marrying his brother, Eugène, two years later. This portrait stands out from previous ones by its speed of execution and freedom of touch, foreshadowing the Impressionist emancipation while maintaining the artist's characteristic structural rigor. The sobriety of the black outfit brings out the paleness of the complexion and the brilliance of the accessories, creating a visual tension between austerity and elegance.
Historical analysis reveals that this painting was considered by many, including Paul Valéry, as the most beautiful portrait Manet ever painted. It is a study of "transversal" light, a radical approach that breaks with academic portraits bathed in diffuse light. By isolating the face between the black of the hat and the black of the collar, Manet concentrates all the model's vital energy into her features, transforming a simple sitting into a profound psychological encounter.
Finally, the work bears witness to the dialogue between emerging photography and painting. The sharpness of certain details, such as the bouquet of violets or the hat ribbons, contrasts with the suggestive blur of the background. Manet does not seek to reproduce reality with slavish accuracy, but to convey the fleeting impression of a presence, an approach that defines the very essence of 19th-century modern painting.
One of the most famous secrets of this painting concerns the color of Berthe Morisot's eyes. In reality, she had green eyes, but Manet chose to paint them completely black to increase their intensity and make them resonate with her mourning attire. This deliberate aesthetic modification proves that Manet prioritized visual impact and emotional truth over strict physical resemblance.
Another secret lies in the bouquet of violets itself. This small detail, almost imperceptible at the bottom of the chest, is a direct allusion to the language of flowers of the time, where the violet symbolized modesty and secret friendship. Some historians see in it a discreet tribute by Manet to Berthe's modesty, but also a sign of their deep intellectual and emotional bond, which remained platonic but passionate.
Technical analyses have shown that Manet used a very specific type of black, "ivory black," which he applied in large flats with almost no mixing. This technical audacity was risky because black can easily "extinguish" a canvas. However, Manet succeeds here in making it luminous by playing with textures: the velvet of the ribbon, the silk of the hat, and the wool of the dress capture light in different ways, creating a monochrome palette of infinite richness.
Finally, the painting contains a dedication hidden by its own history. After Manet's death, Berthe Morisot did everything possible to repurchase this work during the studio sale in 1884. She considered this portrait her most faithful image, not in terms of features, but in terms of soul. She kept it in her home until her death, proof of the sentimental attachment she felt for this specific representation created by her mentor and friend.
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Beyond the masterful treatment of black, what deliberate physical alteration did Manet impose on Berthe Morisot in this portrait to increase its magnetic intensity?
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