Berthe Morisot: 1841-1895

This exhibition catalogue, published to accompany a retrospective exhibit at the Mus%C3%A9e Marmottan Monet in France, presents a comprehensive and scholarly overview of the Impressionist Morisot as both an artist and a woman of her time. After some brief introductory text, the bulk of the book moves chronologically through Morisot's works. Reproductions are paired with a few elucidating paragraphs, reading like extended object labels in a museum, and providing a blend of biographical information, artistic context, and analysis of visual style and technique. The Morisot described is a skilled and subtly complicated artist, occupied with "a modern, feminine subject-matter, Impressionist brushwork, [and] a luminous palette and transparent effects." Her circle of friends, which included Degas and Renoir, variously influenced her style and provided counterpoints off of which she distinguished her own interests and aesthetics. Perhaps most importantly, however, the text charts the influence of her daughter on her practice and finished work, stressing that Morisot should be understood as someone whose "role of mother and her profession of painter are integral facets of one and the same person." As a revealing look into the decidedly feminine concerns and talents from a period of art history dominated by men, this overview provides valuable insight. While the text itself often errs on the side of dry caution, the inner richness of the artist's life remains evident, and the collected images alone are evocative enough to stir considerable interest. 200 color illustrations. (Aug.)