plate no. 8093
The Fable
Berthe Morisot, 1883
recreation guide
Berthe Morisot’s *The Fable* (1883) is a quintessential example of her mature Impressionist style, characterized by a rapid, spontaneous application of paint and a sophisticated handling of light and color. By 1883, Morisot had moved beyond her earlier struggles with oil painting, developing a confident technique that allowed her to render complex forms with economy and precision. Her work from this period is noted for its 'feminine grace' and lightness, often described by critics as having a delicate, feathery touch that captures fleeting sensory perceptions rather than rigid academic detail. The painting likely reflects her practice of working quickly from life or preliminary sketches, utilizing a limited but harmonious palette to create depth and atmosphere. Morisot’s approach to this genre painting would have involved a significant amount of preparatory sketching, allowing her to execute the final oil painting with decisive, single brushstrokes. She was known to work simultaneously in oil, watercolor, and pastel, and her oil technique around 1880–1885 featured looser brushwork and the use of unprimed canvases to enhance spontaneity. The artwork demonstrates her mastery of color contrast and harmony, using complementary colors to intensify hues and create a sense of transparency and airiness, consistent with the scientific color theories she and her contemporaries studied.
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions (including preparatory sketching and drying time between layers)
materials
5 items
steps
5 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Unprimed or lightly primed canvas | To allow for the spontaneous, loose brushwork and visibility of the canvas texture, a technique Morisot experimented with around 1880. | Raw linen or cotton canvas, or canvas with a very thin, absorbent ground. |
| Oil paints (limited palette) | Morisot used a somewhat limited palette but was considered a 'virtuoso colourist.' Key colors likely include whites, blues, greens, and earth tones. | Titanium White, Ultramarine Blue, Viridian, Yellow Ochre, Raw Sienna, Cadmium Red (or similar). |
| Charcoal or graphite | For preliminary sketching and underdrawing. Morisot made countless studies and sketches before painting. | Vine charcoal or soft graphite pencils. |
| Watercolors and pastels | Morisot often worked in these media simultaneously with oils for preparatory studies or to refine indoor work when outdoor painting was inconvenient. | Professional grade watercolors and soft pastels. |
| Fine and medium bristle brushes | To achieve the 'feathery touch' and rapid, single brushstrokes characteristic of her style. | Filbert and flat brushes in various sizes. |
preparation
surface prep
Around 1880, Morisot began painting on unprimed canvases, a technique she shared with Manet and Eva Gonzalès. This allowed the canvas to show through, increasing the sense of spontaneity and lightness. For this recreation, the canvas should be left raw or given a very thin, absorbent ground to mimic this effect. (Source 6)
underdrawing
Morisot made countless studies and sketches of her subjects, drawing from life to become familiar with them. She likely used charcoal or graphite to lightly sketch the composition before applying paint. After 1885, drawing dominated her preparatory work, but in 1883, she still relied on significant sketching to enable her rapid painting style. (Source 5)
underpainting
There is no specific source detailing Morisot’s underpainting technique for this specific work. However, given her rapid execution and use of unprimed canvas, she likely applied paint directly or with a thin wash. Her technique involved painting 'a mouth, eyes, and a nose with a single brushstroke,' suggesting minimal underpainting. (Source 5)
color palette
White
Pure white or barely tinted whites
Morisot made expansive use of white to create transparency and harmonize paintings. She used barely tinted whites to balance the composition.
Blue
Ultramarine or similar blue
Used in conjunction with complementary colors (like orange/red) to intensify hues. Blue tones might surround orange drapery to make it appear more orange.
Green
Viridian or mixed greens
Used as a complement to red tones, such as in flesh tones or clothing, to enhance their vibrancy.
Earth Tones (Ochre, Sienna)
Yellow Ochre, Raw Sienna
General use in her palette for flesh tones and backgrounds, consistent with her restrained color choice in earlier periods but adapted for Impressionist light.
composition
Morisot’s compositions often feature a balance between the density of figures and the atmospheric traits of light. She created a sense of space and depth through color rather than linear perspective. The outer edges of her paintings were often left unfinished, allowing the canvas to show through. Specific details of *The Fable*’s composition are not described in the sources, but it likely follows her general habit of focusing on intimate, domestic scenes with a focus on light and atmosphere. (Source 6)
step by step
underdrawing→first pass→refining→finishing
underdrawing
step 01
Sketch the composition lightly using charcoal or graphite. Morisot made countless studies from life, so ensure the poses and gestures are familiar and accurate before painting.
Tip — Focus on capturing the essence of the pose rather than fine details, as these will be rendered with rapid brushstrokes.
Preparatory sketching
first pass
step 02
Apply paint rapidly, using single brushstrokes to define forms. Morisot could paint 'a mouth, eyes, and a nose with a single brushstroke.' Work quickly to capture the fleeting sensory perceptions of light.
Tip — Avoid over-modeling. If you find yourself tied down to outlines, remember Morisot’s tendency to loosen her brushwork around 1880.
Rapid application
refining
step 03
Use complementary colors to intensify hues. For example, if a red area appears too pale, surround it with green tones to make it seem redder. Use blue tones to enhance orange areas.
Tip — Do not mix colors on the palette to achieve intensity; instead, place complementary colors side-by-side to create visual vibration.
Simultaneous contrast
finishing
step 04
Leave the outer edges unfinished, allowing the canvas to show through. This increases the sense of spontaneity and lightness, a characteristic of Morisot’s work from this period.
Tip — Resist the urge to blend or smooth the edges. The 'feathery touch' is key to her style.
Unfinished edges
step 05
Use white expansively to create transparency. Mix white with other colors to create barely tinted whites that harmonize the painting.
Tip — White is not just for highlights but for creating atmosphere and balance.
Use of white
critical techniques
Simultaneous Contrast
Morisot used the principle that placing complementary colors side-by-side intensifies each hue. For example, red beside green appears redder, and blue beside orange appears bluer. This was used to create brilliance without mixing colors.
Rapid Brushwork
Morisot painted very quickly, often using single brushstrokes to define features. This required extensive preparatory sketching to ensure accuracy.
Unprimed Canvas
Painting on unprimed or lightly primed canvas allowed the texture to show through, enhancing the sense of spontaneity and lightness.
Use of White
Expansive use of white, both pure and mixed, to create transparency and harmonize the composition.
common pitfalls
- →Over-modeling: Morisot’s style is characterized by loose, rapid brushstrokes. Avoid blending or smoothing the paint, which would lose the 'feathery touch.' (Source 6)
- →Ignoring preparatory sketching: Morisot made countless studies before painting. Skipping this step may lead to inaccurate poses and a lack of confidence in the final execution. (Source 5)
- →Mixing colors instead of placing them: To achieve intensity, Morisot relied on simultaneous contrast (placing complementary colors side-by-side) rather than mixing them on the palette. (Source 3)
- →Over-finishing edges: Morisot often left outer edges unfinished to enhance spontaneity. Finishing them completely may make the painting appear too rigid. (Source 6)
what the sources don't tell us
Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.
- ·Specific color palette for *The Fable*: The sources do not list the exact pigments used in this specific painting, only general tendencies (limited palette, use of white, complementary colors).
- ·Exact composition details: The sources do not describe the specific figures, poses, or setting of *The Fable*, so the recreation must rely on general knowledge of Morisot’s genre paintings.
- ·Underpainting technique: There is no specific information on whether Morisot used an underpainting layer for this work, only that she painted rapidly and directly.
- ·Varnishing: The sources do not mention Morisot’s varnishing practices.
grounded in
The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.
The Science of Painting↗
- 4. When two colours separated by more than two others — applied to Simultaneous contrast and color intensification techniques.
The Practice of Oil Painting — ON COPYING↗
- Advice has been given you during our visit to make copies of certain works. — applied to General advice on copying and the importance of understanding the original artist’s intent, though less directly applicable to Morisot’s specific technique.
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia bio — Berthe Morisot — part 5↗
- Impressionism, 1875–1885 — applied to Rapid brushwork, preparatory sketching, and single brushstroke technique.
Wikipedia bio — Berthe Morisot — part 6↗
- Style and technique — applied to Unprimed canvas, unfinished edges, use of white, and feathery touch.
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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