The Artist's Sister at a Window

Edma Pontillon, Morisot's sister, sits beside a window. The painting passed from the artist to Edma and remained in the family. The sisters had studied painting together, and Edma frequently posed indoors and outdoors. This portrait belongs to that sustained relationship between painter and model.

Edma sits in profile beside the window. Side light reveals her face at the meeting of the room and the space outside.

An open fan rests between her hands. The small object supports their quiet position.

A long white dress spreads downward. Its folds register changes in the window light.

Buildings appear beyond the balcony. The window connects the domestic figure with the city outside.

A wooden desk stands behind the chair. Its position preserves the room's depth without filling it with many objects.

The sisters shared teachers and later worked outdoors under Corot's guidance. A familiar model let Morisot return to the same person in different settings. The Musée d'Orsay later included this portrait in its account of her depictions of modern life.