Manet and Morisot

An intimate exploration of an artistic friendship at the heart of the Impressionist movement

Édouard Manet (1832-1883) was a pioneer of modern painting, and Berthe Morisot (1841-1895) was the sole female founding member of the Impressionist group. To each other, they were colleagues, friends, and--following Morisot’s marriage to Manet’s brother--family. Unfolding over a period of fifteen years, theirs was arguably the closest relationship between any two members of the Impressionist circle. Through collaboration, competition, and mutual collecting, each influenced the other’s work and, in the process, changed the course of modern art.

The story of this relationship has most often been told through Manet’s magnificent portraits of Morisot, but the two artists’ connection was more than one between painter and muse. Exploring pairs and groups of related works, Manet and Morisot reveals that, while Morisot looked to Manet for inspiration during her early career, as Morisot’s work became more daring and garnered widespread acclaim, Manet began to follow her example, emulating her choice of subjects, her high-keyed colors, even her rapid, fluttering brushstrokes. Illustrated essays and entries challenge gendered perspectives in the Manet literature, while correspondence and a technical study invite readers into the two artists’ shared social circle and contrasting studio practices.

Published in association with the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco

Exhibition Schedule:

Legion of Honor, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
(October 11, 2025-March 1, 2026)

Cleveland Museum of Art
(March 29-July 5, 2026)

Emily A. Beeny is chief curator of the Legion of Honor and Barbara A. Wolfe Curator in Charge of European Paintings at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.