The Harbor at Lorient by Berthe Morisot

Berthe Morisot painted The Harbor at Lorient in 1869, after studying with painters of the Barbizon school. Morisot began to study drawing at the age of 16. For a brief time, her teacher was the Barbizon painter Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot. He encouraged Morisot to work outdoors and paint landscapes, and even though she developed her own style, his influence was evident. While on vacation in Brittany, Morisot painted coastline scenes, such as The Harbor of Lorient, and the fresh tonality and shimmering brush stroke indicate her continuing allegiance to plein air painting.

The Harbor at Lorient by Berthe Morisot (oil on canvas, 17-1/8x28-3/4 inches) hangs at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.

Berthe Morisot's dedication to plein air painting wasn't the only trait she shared with her fellow Impressionists. On the next page we'll look at a painting that shares other qualities with Impressionist work at the time.

For more on Impressionist paintings, artists, and art history, see:

• Impressionism
• Vincent van Gogh
• Claude Monet