Berthe Morisot<br/>
French 1841–95<br/>
<em>White flowers in a bowl</em> 1885<br/>
oil on canvas<br/>
46.0 x 55.0 cm<br/>
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston<br/>
Bequest of John T. Spaulding (48.581)<br/>
Photography © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. All Rights Reserved.

Wednesday Work of the Week | Secondary Still life

Wed 28 Jul 21, 9.45am

Berthe Morisot<br/> French 1841–95<br/> <em>White flowers in a bowl</em> 1885<br/> oil on canvas<br/> 46.0 x 55.0 cm<br/> Museum of Fine Arts, Boston<br/> Bequest of John T. Spaulding (48.581)<br/> Photography © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. All Rights Reserved.
Past program

This program takes place virtually

Levels 7-12

Join an NGV Educator live from the NGV for a short and lively introduction to one work from French Impressionism from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. To have your questions answered about the Wednesday Work of the Week send them in advance to education.bookings@ngv.vic.gov.au.The program recording will also be available to access for one week for booked participants.  

Still life

Although painting en plein air was a favoured approach of the Impressionists, they also maintained a studio practice, as we see in the still-life paintings in the exhibition. For Berthe Morisot, still life was an opportunity for experimentation, where she could apply her characteristic quick brushwork to the blank canvas. Her work White flowers in a bowl, 1885, records her hurried brushwork, creating an overall sketch-like quality, with parts of raw canvas able to be seen around the work’s perimeter.

Learning Objectives

  • Identify and describe sources of inspiration in Berthe Morisot’s still life painting.
  • Analyse and interpret the themes, concepts and ideas in Morisot’s White flowers in a bowl.
  • Discuss how the Impressionists used materials, techniques and processes to realise their intentions in their artworks.

Duration: 15 mins

Cost: Free

Learn French Impressionism from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston