The Child's Bath. Mary Cassatt · Public domain · source

Mary Cassatt

Public domain1844-1926·American·painting·Wikipedia ↗

Who

American painter and printmaker from Pittsburgh who spent her working life in Paris. The only American invited to exhibit with the Impressionists, at Degas's suggestion, from 1879.

Why they matter

She made mothers and children a serious modern subject rather than a sentimental one. The set of ten colour prints of 1890-91, made after seeing the Japanese print exhibition at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, is one of the great achievements of Western printmaking. She also steered American collectors, notably the Havemeyers, toward the Impressionists, which is why so much of that work is in US museums.

What to buy

Originals: her drypoints and aquatints appear at Swann and the major houses; the plain drypoints are the affordable way in, the colour prints are not. Posthumous restrikes exist, so ask for the Breeskin number and edition. Prints: the Child's Bath reproduces well. Books: the Art Institute and NGA catalogues.

Notes

Both the Art Institute of Chicago and the National Gallery of Art publish their Cassatts under open licences.

Key works

The Child's Bath (1893) - Art Institute of Chicago
Little Girl in a Blue Armchair (1878) - National Gallery of Art, Washington
The Letter (1890-1891) - colour drypoint and aquatint
The Boating Party (1893-1894) - National Gallery of Art, Washington

Mary Cassatt

Who

Why they matter

What to buy

Notes

Key works

In museum collections

See the work

Prints

Books

Originals

See also