At the Edge of the Forest (Edma and Jeanne) by Berthe Morisot

Berthe Morisot's 1872 painting "At the Edge of the Forest (Edma and Jeanne)" captures a quiet family moment just after the Franco-Prussian War. It hangs in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.

The painting shows two figures seated in dappled sunlight at the edge of a wood. The woman on the right in the dark hat is Morisot's sister, Edma. Beside her is Edma's daughter, Jeanne, whose direct, unguarded gaze makes the whole scene feel remarkably present.

Morisot was a central figure in the Impressionist circle, exhibiting in seven of their eight shows. She painted the world she knew: domestic life, gardens, and family, often featuring her sister, who had also trained as a painter but set her career aside after marriage. This work was made during a period when wealthy Parisians sought the calm of the countryside, retreating from a city still recovering from war and the Commune.

Edma once wrote to her sister, "I am with you in spirit in your studio." This painting feels like an answer, a day they did get to spend together, kept.