The artwork “Reading with Green Umbrella” is an oil on canvas painting created by Berthe Morisot in 1873. It is an example of the Impressionist movement, specifically classified as a genre painting, which refers to works depicting scenes of everyday life.
In the depiction, a woman is seated in a grassy field engrossed in reading a book, with her full attention directed towards the pages. She is dressed in a white dress speckled with small accents, and her outfit is completed with a dark bow at her neck and an elegant green hat adorned with a ribbon, providing a subtle contrast to the predominantly white attire. A closed green umbrella is situated next to her on the ground, and a delicate yellow fan lies nearby on a red textile. The setting is a serene, natural landscape, rendered in a way that captures the transient effects of light and atmosphere characteristic of Impressionism. The brushstrokes are visible and loose, suggesting the freshness and immediacy of the artist’s observations. In the background, a softly painted scene features a hillside with some sparse trees and hints of a rural setting beyond, giving an openness to the composition and inviting contemplation of the peaceful, leisurely moment being portrayed.
