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Reading the newspaper (recto)

Maker

(artist)
1841-1895

Title

Date of Production

1893

Medium

black chalk and watercolour (recto), black chalk (verso) on wove paper; upper left and lower right corners made up

Dimensions

Height: 36 cm
Width: 22.7 cm

Accession Number

D.1978.PG.242

Mode of Acquisition

Count Antoine Seilern, bequest, 1978

Credit

The Courtauld, London (Samuel Courtauld Trust)

Copyright

Work in the public domain

Location

Not currently on display

Keywords

Label Text

In this spontaneous watercolour Morisot captures an intimate moment in a plein air setting. Rapidly depicted in bright, fresh colours, a couple is absorbed in reading the newspaper. Seeing them through the trees underscores their quiet reverie. Morisot’s fluid brushstrokes effectively capture the dappled sunlit scene, while certain forms such as the newspaper are suggested through her efficient handling. This informal sketch underscores the importance of drawing to Morisot, a founding member of the Impressionist group.

Provenance

estate of the artist, L.1826 (lower left); Rouart Collection, Paris (this information supplied by Dina Vierny; Ernest Rouart (1874-1942) was the son-in-law of Berthe Morisot, so it seems likely he acquired this directly from the artist); purchased from him by Dina Vierny Gallery (Paris), by 1950; purchased there by Count Antoine Seilern, London (1901-1978), March 1950 (90,000 francs); Princes Gate Bequest 1978

Exhibition History

Special Display - French Drawings of the 19th century, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 08/02/2008-12/06/2008

Material Evidence, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 30/10/1998-24/01/1999

Impressionist, Post-Impressionist and Related Drawings from the
Courtauld Collections, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 11/05/1988-04/09/1988 ...More

Dina Vierny, Paris, 1950

Exposition de pastels, aquarelles, dessins, crayons de Berthe Morisot, Galerie L. Dru, Paris, 31/05/1926-25/06/1926 ...Less

Literature

Material Evidence, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1998-1999
cat. no. (not numbered)

Impressionist, Post-Impressionist and Related Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1988
cat. no. 28
dated 1893

Seilern, Count Antoine, Paintings and drawings of Continental Schools other than Flemish and Italian at 56 Princes Gate, London SW7, London 1961; III
no. 242
pl. LXVII
dated c. 1893 ...More

Angoulvent, Monique, Berthe Morisot: Catalogue de l'oeuvre, Paris 1933(?)
no. 562 (? dimensions are not quite identical) ...Less

Inscriptions

Watermark: Watermark: none.

Collector's mark: Recto: lower left, stamped in blue: family of Berthe Morisot (L.1826).

Inscription: Verso: upper centre, graphite: “SIZE I”.

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