Young Woman with a Straw Hat (1884) is an oil on canvas painting by French Impressionist Berthe Morisot (1841–1895), measuring 55.5 × 46.7 cm and held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. ^[3][4]. The work exemplifies Morisot's distinctive approach to portraiture, characterized by loose brushwork and a focus on capturing the fleeting effects of light and the intimate, private world of her female subjects ^[1].

Artist: Berthe Morisot and the Impressionist circle

Berthe Marie Pauline Morisot was born on 14 January 1841 in Bourges, France, into an affluent bourgeois family ^[1]. She first exhibited at the highly esteemed Paris Salon in 1864, listed as a student of Joseph Guichard and Achille-François Oudinot, and her work was selected for exhibition in six subsequent Salons ^[1]. In 1874, Morisot joined the "rejected" Impressionists in the first of their own exhibitions, held at the studio of the photographer Nadar, alongside Paul Cézanne, Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Alfred Sisley ^[1]. She went on to participate in all but one of the following eight Impressionist exhibitions between 1874 and 1886 ^[1]. Morisot was married to Eugène Manet, the brother of her friend and colleague Édouard Manet, and was described by art critic Gustave Geffroy in 1894 as one of Les trois grandes dames, "The three great ladies," of Impressionism alongside Marie Bracquemond and Mary Cassatt ^[1].

Provenance: National Gallery of Art, Washington

The painting is recorded in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. ^[3][4]. The museum's open data confirms the work as an 1884 oil on canvas by Berthe Morisot ^[4].

Date	1884 [3][4]
Medium	Oil on canvas [4]
Dimensions	55.5 × 46.7 cm [3]
Collection	National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. [3][4]

Technique: Impressionist brushwork and light

Morisot's technique in Young Woman with a Straw Hat reflects her position within the Impressionist movement, which she joined in 1874 and exhibited with through 1886 ^[1]. Her approach to portraiture, developed within this circle, emphasized spontaneity and the capture of transient moments ^[1]. As a member of the group that included Monet, Renoir, and Degas, Morisot's work shares the movement's characteristic concern with light and atmosphere ^[1]. Her focus on the private, domestic sphere of women's lives distinguished her perspective within the movement ^[1].

Iconography: The straw hat and feminine leisure

The subject of the painting—a young woman wearing a straw hat—reflects the themes of feminine leisure and modernity that recur throughout Morisot's oeuvre ^[1]. Morisot's work frequently depicted women in private settings, offering a unique perspective on femininity and domesticity within the Impressionist movement ^[1]. The straw hat, a fashionable accessory of the period, anchors the portrait in the contemporary world of late 19th-century Parisian life ^[1].

Critical reception: Geffroy's "three great ladies"

Morisot's standing within the Impressionist movement was formally recognized by the art critic Gustave Geffroy, who in 1894 described her as one of Les trois grandes dames, "The three great ladies," of Impressionism, alongside Marie Bracquemond and Mary Cassatt ^[1]. This acknowledgment came near the end of Morisot's life; she died on 2 March 1895 ^[1].

Frequently asked questions

When was Young Woman with a Straw Hat painted?

The painting dates to 1884, as recorded in the Wikidata entry and confirmed by the National Gallery of Art's open data ^[3][4].

Where is Young Woman with a Straw Hat located?

The painting is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. ^[3][4].

What are the dimensions of Young Woman with a Straw Hat?

The painting measures 55.5 × 46.7 cm ^[3].