Berthe Morisot was born in Bourges, France, into a prosperous middle-class household. Her talent was recognized early, and she received training there and in Paris, where her family moved in 1852. At the age of 23, she was accepted into the Salon and maintained a successful career until her death.

Morisot benefited from the support of her husband, Eugene Manet, who managed her career, and of her brother-in-law, Edouard Manet. She was acquainted with such artists as Corot, Degas and Renoir, and was considered a strong influence on such fellow women Impressionists as Mary Cassatt and Eva Gonzales.

In addition to painting, Morisot was an accomplished printmaker, as was Edouard Manet, who probably helped shape her Impressionist approach to the genre.

Morisot was featured in the Women Artists in the Age of Impressionism exhibition at the Speed Art Museum in 2018.