The artwork titled “Young girl lying” is an oil on canvas painting by the artist Berthe Morisot, dated to the year 1893. Employing the techniques and sensibilities of the Impressionist movement, this genre painting measures 68.5 x 77 cm. As a genre painting, it portrays scenes of everyday life, capturing moments and experiences with which viewers might easily identify.
In the artwork, the viewer is presented with a young girl in a state of repose, illuminated by the gentle, diffused light that is characteristic of the Impressionist style. The subject is depicted lying on her back on what appears to be a chaise lounge or couch, her body relaxed and one hand resting upon her torso while the other supports her head. She is wearing a loose, flowing garment that drapes over the contours of her body, accentuating the softness of the scene.
Morisot’s brushwork is evident in the fluidity of the strokes that build form and texture within the painting. The color palette is delicate, consisting of soft pastels that contribute to the dreamy, tranquil quality of the scene. The girl’s hair has a burnished hue, complementing the warmth of the colors used for her dress and couch.
The background is rendered with an almost abstract quality, comprising muted tones and indistinct forms that set a backdrop against which the figure lies. There’s a sense of immediacy and fleetingness, true to the Impressionist endeavor of capturing moments as they are perceived rather than as they are statically. The viewer is drawn into a quiet and introspective moment, encouraged to reflect on the simple beauty of a serene figure in rest.
