The way the mother in black has such a strong geometric presence reminded me of Whistler's Mother Arrangement in Grey and Black. Actually - I think that Morisot's "arrangement" seems more interesting - partly because it seems more likely to have happened in real life (she makes it look more natural) - and the diagonal of the black creates more of a impression.
Morisot's was painted a year or two before Whistler's:
Whistler knew Morisot and Manet. I expect that it's highly likely that Whistler saw Morisot's painting. It's interesting to consider some of the influences. It's also interesting how highly Whistler is regarded as if he were so influential. He had created paintings such as "The White Girl" previous to this - and undoubtalby there was cross influencing.
The Wikipedia page on Berthe Morisot makes mention of her influence on Manet:
It was Morisot who convinced Manet to attempt plein air painting, which she had been practicing since having been introduced to it by Corot.
She also drew Manet into the circle of painters who soon became known as the Impressionists.
Morisot is one of my favorite artists. The way she painted suggests air and atmosphere - inside a room. She had her own way of bringing a painting to life. It's interesting to know of her influence on other important artists. It's a shame that women's influences too often go unrecognized and/or unmentioned.
1 comment:
Another very interesting post, M. The fact that Whistler and Morisot knew each other, that the two paintings were done within two years of each other, and the similarities in the subject matter -- depictions of the artist's mother, the orientation of the mother, the clothing and framed works on the wall -- raises an obvious question: did Whistler have a sister?
dw
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