WHOEVER SAID “women have to do twice as much as men to be thought half as good” may well have been speaking with Berthe Morisot in mind. The French painter was a key figure in the shaping of art history, yet is rarely given the credit she deserves. But now, the first major UK exhibition of her work since 1950, Berthe Morisot: Shaping Impressionism at Dulwich Picture Gallery, will feature 30 of her paintings, borrowed from international collections, showcasing just how influential she was to one of art’s most popular movements.
As if this is not a big enough draw, thanks to new research from Musee Marmottan Monet, a previously undiscovered connection between her work and 18th-century culture will be explored, involving some 20 works for audiences to make comparisons with.
The show’s curator, art historian Dr Lois Oliver, believes an exhibition celebrating Morisot is long overdue. “Writers in