Artwork
The Sisters
The Sisters is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Berthe Morisot. It dates from 1869 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:upper right: Berthe Morisot
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The subject of Berthe Morisot's 1869 oil painting, The Sisters, is a group portrait depicting the artist herself alongside her sister, Edma Morisot.
The subject of Berthe Morisot's 1869 oil painting, The Sisters, is a group portrait depicting the artist herself alongside her sister, Edma Morisot. As a work of portraiture, the piece focuses on the physical presence and likeness of these two specific individuals rather than allegorical figures or broader symbolic narratives. The composition serves as a direct representation of the familial bond between the two women, capturing them in a moment of shared identity.
While the painting is classified as a group portrait, its primary meaning lies in its function as a personal record of the Morisot sisters, documenting their relationship during the late 1860s.
Technique & Style
Berthe Morisot executed The Sisters in 1869 using oil paint on a canvas support. The artwork measures 52.1 cm in height and 81.3 cm in width. As a portrait depicting the artist and her sister Edma, the composition functions as a group portrait. The painting is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
History & Provenance
Painted in 1869, The Sisters depicts Berthe Morisot with her sibling Edma. The work passed from the artist's circle to Parisian dealers: it was held by Bernheim-Jeune and sold on 15 June 1910 to Durand-Ruel, then on 14 November 1912 to the Carroll Carstairs Gallery in New York. It entered American ownership with Mrs. Charles Stewart Carstairs (née Elizabeth Stebbins), who bequeathed it to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, in 1952.
Overview
Berthe Morisot's early oil on canvas painting, The Sisters, captures an intimate domestic moment. This work features the artist's sister, Edma Morisot, alongside Berthe herself. The composition presents two young women seated together, one engrossed in a book, conveying a sense of quiet contemplation within a familial setting. It offers insight into Morisot's initial artistic explorations and her frequent depiction of personal subjects.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Berthe Marie Pauline Morisot was a French painter, printmaker and a member of the circle of painters in Paris who became known as the Impressionists.
Compared in the Impressionism course