Berthe Morisot at the Musée Marmottan Monet
Why Morisot is here
Berthe Morisot exhibited with the Impressionists, in the same circle as Monet and Impression, soleil levant. She married Eugène Manet, Édouard's brother, making her the sister-in-law of the painter of Olympia, and this family connection is the source of many confusions I clarify on the page Monet or Manet. Her descendants, Denis and Annie Rouart, bequeathed to the Marmottan what remained in the family. The Denis and Annie Rouart Foundation, established in the 1990s, made the museum the world's leading place to see her work. It’s no coincidence in timing: the museum already had Monet, and Morisot was part of the same circle and the same light.
What you see on the first floor
Eugène Manet on the Isle of Wight (1875) shows her husband from behind, at a window: a man looking outside while his wife paints him, which, in 1875, upended the usual order. At the Ball (1875) is the painting stolen in 1985 along with the Monets and recovered in 1990. The 1885 Self-Portrait, nearly unfinished, shows her with palette in hand, with a gaze that doesn’t seek to please. Around them, the watercolors and pastels, the most fragile part of the collection and not always all displayed at once.
How to look at her work
Morisot paints quickly, leaving the canvas visible between brushstrokes, and her paintings lose much in reproduction. Get closer. What seems unfinished from afar is, up close, a deliberate choice. At the Marmottan, she is displayed after the Monets, and I recommend seeing her in this order: you arrive at her work with an eye accustomed to the large formats of the underground gallery, and her modest sizes appear unexpectedly precise. The visiting route is on what to see at the Marmottan.
The Cradle isn’t here
I say it because I'm always asked. The Cradle, Morisot's most reproduced painting, is at the Orsay Museum. If you insist, the Orsay ticket with audio guide will take you there in the afternoon, and you'll also see Manet, who isn't at the Marmottan. Both Orsay and the Marmottan are closed on Mondays.
What works
- The world’s largest Morisot collection, on a single floor
- Paintings rarely loaned out, so almost always here
- A quiet room, after the Monet gallery
- The connection with Manet explained through the works themselves
Good to know
- The Cradle is at the Orsay
- Watercolors and pastels are not all on permanent display
- No Manet at the Marmottan
- The first floor is accessible via the stairs or the lift
After Eugène Manet on the Isle of Wight, look for the 1885 Self-Portrait and linger there. It’s the only painting in the museum where someone truly looks back at you. To find out when the floor is quiet, see the best time to visit.
Make the Marmottan your first stop of the day
Frequently asked questions
Where to see Berthe Morisot in Paris?
On the first floor of the Musée Marmottan Monet, home to the world's largest collection. The Cradle is at the Orsay. Explore the museum's itinerary on what to see.
Was Berthe Morisot related to Manet?
Yes, she married Eugène Manet, Édouard's brother. She was therefore the painter's sister-in-law. The two similar names are clarified in Monet or Manet.
Where does the Marmottan's Morisot collection come from?
From the bequest of Denis and Annie Rouart, descendants of the painter, in the 1990s. The history of successive donations is on the museum's history.
Was Au bal stolen?
Yes, on October 27, 1985, along with Impression, soleil levant and seven other paintings. Everything was recovered in 1990. See Impression, soleil levant.