Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s Berthe Morisot and Her Daughter, Julie Manet is now showing at Louvre Abu Dhabi, bringing the latest major work from the Abu Dhabi Masterpieces Collection into the museum’s permanent galleries for a one-year display.
Painted in 1894, the double portrait depicts the French artist Berthe Morisot with her daughter Julie Manet. Magdalena Ruiz, senior curator at Louvre Abu Dhabi, describes it as a masterpiece of Impressionism that also opens conversations about friendship, family, motherhood and social change at the end of the 19th century.
The work is the latest from the Abu Dhabi Masterpieces Collection to be displayed at Louvre Abu Dhabi.
Other works from the collection were previously shown in presentations at Manarat Al Saadiyat in 2025, featuring works by Nicolas Poussin, Pierre Bonnard, Zao Wou-Ki, Jean-Baptiste-Simeon Chardin and Jean-Michel Basquiat.
Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi, says Renoir’s painting adds to the collection’s wider cross-cultural narrative.
"Renoir's Berthe Morisot and her daughter, Julie Manet, now presented at Louvre Abu Dhabi, joins the Abu Dhabi Masterpieces Collection, complementing a carefully curated collection that spans artistic movements, disciplines, geographies and civilisations,” he says.
“Together, these exceptional works represent the diversity of human creativity and the shared stories that connect us across cultures and generations. Renoir's work adds a new dimension to this ongoing dialogue, inviting fresh perspectives on our shared artistic heritage and reinforcing the Collection's universal narrative."
Ruiz says the painting allows Louvre Abu Dhabi to approach Impressionism through art history and themes that remain open to contemporary interpretation.
“It is a masterpiece of Impressionism,” she says. “But it is also a good example to talk about global conversation, to talk about universal topics such as friendship, family and motherhood, and also to talk at the same time about a lot of social changes because we are here at the end of the 19th century.”
The portrait is also etched in grief and legacy. Morisot appears in black, marking her widowhood after the death of her husband, Eugene Manet, the brother of Edouard Manet. Beside her is Julie, who would become closely involved in preserving her mother’s artistic legacy.
Morisot died a year after the painting was completed, when Julie was 16.
“A year after this painting, Berthe Morisot died,” Ruiz says. “The young Julie Manet was 16 at this time. She organised a big exhibition to preserve and transmit the memory of her mother as an artist.”
Ruiz says the painting also highlights the role of women artists and their changing status in the late 19th century.
“For us, it is very important to explain that the status of women was changing at this time,” she says. “In this double portrait you have Berthe Morisot and Julie Manet. Julie Manet was the daughter of Berthe Morisot and Eugene Manet, but she was also a painter and an art collector. They were deeply engaged with Impressionism, but also as women artists.”
As a universal museum, Louvre Abu Dhabi places works from different cultures and centuries together, Ruiz notes, inviting visitors to follow themes, encounters and exchanges rather than viewing works only by nation, school or period.
In this case, the painting is placed near a Monet, Japanese prints and photographs of Japanese women. The arrangement presents Impressionism through cross-cultural influences, expanding its frame beyond Europe and drawing out personal themes such as family, portraiture and intimate life.
“It is very interesting for us to say that domestic life, family life, portraits and intimate life are common topics, cross-cultural topics, and we can find them in different parts of the world,” Ruiz adds.
“We are a universal museum and we want to make connections between different cultures and between different times. Here, through a topic, we want to explain what we have in common as humans.”
The Renoir’s arrival has brought fresh conservation work, research and discussions about its display for the museum team.
“We have been totally excited for weeks, all the different teams, because you use a good expression," Ruiz says. "It is like a new baby here. Our family of artworks grows. We are so happy to share it with everyone.”
Al Mubarak says the work also reflects Abu Dhabi’s approach to culture and public access.
"For Abu Dhabi, culture is not only about preserving the past; it is about creating opportunities for discovery, learning and inspiration. The Abu Dhabi Masterpieces Collection embodies our belief that the world's cultural treasures should be accessible to all, enabling people to engage with these incredible works and the ideas they represent,” he says.
“Through this vision, Abu Dhabi continues to advance its role as a global cultural centre, where knowledge, creativity and human connection come together."
