The artwork “Eugene Manet with his daughter at Bougival” was created by the Impressionist artist Berthe Morisot around 1881. This genre painting is executed in oil on canvas and measures approximately 92 x 73 cm. It can be viewed at the Musée Marmottan Monet in Paris, France, and stands as a representation of private life captured with the expressive brushstrokes characteristic of the Impressionist movement.
The painting depicts Eugene Manet, the brother of the famous painter Édouard Manet, accompanied by his daughter in an intimate outdoor setting. The background is lush and vivid, filled with the soft textures of foliage and blooming flowers, which exemplify the Impressionists’ fascination with natural light and color. Eugene, dressed in a tan jacket and hat, is portrayed in profile gazing thoughtfully at his daughter, who is absorbed in an activity at a table. The child is depicted with a gentle focus, her attention dedicated to the objects before her, possibly engaging in a quiet moment of play or learning.
Morisot’s brushwork is fluid and relaxed, adding to the sense of a fleeting moment skillfully captured on canvas. The soft diffusion of light and color creates an atmosphere of warmth and familial contentment. It exemplifies the Impressionist technique of portraying the effects of light and emphasizing spontaneity in daily life. Through this tender scene, Morisot invites the viewer to contemplate the serene interaction between father and child, a theme that resonates with the broader genre of Impressionism, where ordinary moments become the subject of extraordinary art.
