The artwork, “Lady with a Parasol Sitting in a Park,” was created by the Impressionist artist Berthe Morisot in 1885. Measuring 19 by 20.8 centimeters, Morisot chose watercolor as her medium for this genre painting. The style is distinctively Impressionist, characterized by loose brushwork and a vivid portrayal of light and movement, which encapsulates the essence of a fleeting moment.
The artwork depicts a woman, possibly from a middle or upper-class background considering her attire and leisure activity, seated in what appears to be a lush park setting. She is clad in a fashionable dress with a pattern that Morisot has rendered in dabbing, energetic strokes, capturing the interplay of light and shadow. The delicate watercolors create a soft harmony of colors, from the nuanced greens of the foliage to the warm hues of the woman’s hat and face.
A prominent feature of the artwork is the parasol, tilted to one side, the folds and shadows of which Morisot has portrayed with a deft touch that conveys its three-dimensionality and functionality as a shield from the sun. The background is only suggestively detailed, showing hints of trees and perhaps other park-goers, which imbues the scene with a sense of place without detracting from the serenity and intimate focus on the foreground subject.
Through the loose, rapid application of watercolor, the artwork embodies the Impressionist fascination with capturing the transitory effects of light and color, as well as the exploration of leisure activities of the time. Morisot’s work often provides a glimpse into the lives of women during this era, and her mastery of the medium is evident in the portrayal of texture and atmosphere in this serene, ephemeral scene.
