The artwork entitled “Woman and child on the balcony” is a creation of Berthe Morisot, dated 1872. Morisot, known for her contribution to the Impressionist movement, has employed pencil, watercolor, and paper as her mediums for this piece. This genre painting, which is representative of everyday life, is part of the collection at the Art Institute of Chicago located in Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is a fine example of the Impressionist style, which is characterized by loose brushwork and an emphasis on the depiction of light and movement.
In the artwork, the viewer observes a tranquil and intimate scene featuring a woman and a child on a balcony. The woman, attired in a dark dress with her hair adorned by what appears to be a decorative hairpiece, is leaning on the balcony railing, looking out onto the landscape beyond. The child, dressed in a white frock with accents of pink, stands beside her, also gazing into the distance. The gentle grip of the woman on the railing and the contemplative expressions suggest a moment of leisure or reflection, common thematic elements in genre paintings.
The balcony itself seems to be adorned with potted flowers, adding a touch of vibrant color to the scene, which contrasts with the relative sobriety of the woman’s dress. The background reveals an expansive view with architectural structures, including a dome that emerges prominently on the horizon. Morisot’s use of watercolor imbues the scene with a softness that is typical of the Impressionist approach, allowing the colors to blend subtly and the details to be suggested rather than explicitly defined. The brushstrokes give an impression of the atmosphere and surroundings rather than presenting a detailed architectural study. This focus on mood and setting, rather than on precise realism, captures the ephemeral nature of the moment, drawing the viewer into a fleeting slice of life.
