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Berthe Morisot (French, 1841–1895). Madame Boursier and Her Daughter, circa 1873. Oil on canvas, 28 3/4 x 22 1/4 inches (73 x 56.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Museum Collection Fund, 29.30
A member of the Impressionist circle, Morisot focused on the domestic spaces associated with women rather than the public venues and events painted by her male counterparts. In this image of her relatives, Morisot invites the viewer into a richly appointed middle-class interior with its floral upholstery, upright piano and sheet music, framed mirror, and porcelain vase with flowers. With quick, unblended strokes, the painter's deft brushwork summarily defines the forms, patterns, and textures of the elegant furnishings and fashionable clothing. Morisot underscores the intimacy of the scene by placing the little girl on Madame Boursier's lap as well as by bringing her subjects close to the picture plane.
Eastern Parkway/Brooklyn Museum