A portrait of Impressionist painter Berthe Morisot, completed shortly after the Franco-Prussian War and the Paris Commune. Morisot modeled for Manet in over ten portraits between 1868 and 1874, prior to her marriage to Manet’s brother, Eugène. The composition relies on strong tonal contrast between the solid black attire and hat against a light background, anchored by a small cluster of violets pinned at the neckline.