Who was Artist Mary Cassatt?
Mary Cassatt, the groundbreaking American artist and printmaker, carved a distinct space for herself in the male-dominated world of Impressionism. Despite societal constraints and family disapproval, she pursued her passion for painting, redefining the way women and motherhood were portrayed in art. This article delves into Mary Cassatt’s extraordinary journey, from defiance to acclaim, and her unshakable commitment to her craft.
A Privileged Beginning with Unexpected Obstacles
Born in 1844 in Allegheny City, now part of Pittsburgh, Mary Cassatt came from a prosperous family. Her father, Robert Simpson Cassatt, was a stockbroker and real estate investor, while her mother, Katherine Kelso Johnston, belonged to a wealthy banking family. Though Mary Cassatt’s upbringing was steeped in privilege and education, her decision to become a professional artist clashed with societal norms for women of her class.
Courtesy – Britannica
Initially encouraged to take drawing lessons during family trips to Europe, her parents’ support waned as her ambitions grew serious. At the time, upper-class women were expected to become caretakers and homemakers, not professional painters. The idea of a woman attending nude drawing sessions or participating in public art life was scandalous.
Education and Early Artistic Exposure
Mary Cassatt’s formal journey into the arts began at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts between 1860 and 1862. Eager to refine her craft, she persuaded her reluctant parents to let her study art in Paris in 1865. In Europe, she studied under prominent painters such as Jean-Léon Gérôme and received guidance from Édouard Frère and Paul Soyer.
Courtesy – Alamy
Mary Cassatt’s artwork, The Mandolin Player, was accepted into the prestigious Paris Salon in 1868—a significant achievement. However, with the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War in 1870, her studies were disrupted, and she returned to Philadelphia.
Breaking Boundaries in Paris
In 1874, Mary Cassatt made a bold move: she settled permanently in Paris and set up her studio. Immersed in the thriving Impressionist scene, she met Edgar Degas, who admired her drawing skills. Degas invited her to participate in the Impressionist exhibitions of 1879, 1880, 1881, and 1886. Inspired by Degas and Gustave Courbet, painter Mary Cassatt developed a unique style that embraced spontaneous composition and vivid, natural colours.
Courtesy – Art Institute of Chicago
Early Mary Cassatt paintings often featured friends, family, and their children. Her masterful use of pastels and attention to intimacy and emotion made her stand out. A pivotal moment came in 1890 when she encountered Japanese prints in Paris. This influenced her style, leading to the creation of ten colored prints, including Woman Bathing and The Coiffure. These Mary Cassatt prints demonstrated her skill with aquatint, drypoint, and soft ground etching.
Capturing the Essence of Motherhood
Despite never marrying or having children, Mary Cassatt’s artwork explored themes of maternity with profound sensitivity. Works like The Child’s Bath (1893) and Mother and Child (Baby Getting Up from His Nap) became iconic. While her focus on domestic life led to mixed reactions from feminists, some saw it as reinforcing stereotypes, Mary Cassatt gave motherhood a dignity and emotional depth rarely seen before.
Color drypoint and aquatint on laid paper, 43.2 x 30.7 cm.
Courtesy – National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Her work offered a new narrative of female experience, portraying the intimate bond between mother and child without romanticising or simplifying it.
Professional Triumphs and Personal Struggles
Mary Cassatt’s rise in the Impressionist circle was marked by both acclaim and resistance. She exhibited a total of eleven works, including La Loge, and participated in the first Impressionist exposition in the United States in 1886, organised by Paul Durand-Ruel. Though some critics found her use of colour jarring and her subjects unflattering, her works never faced the same harsh backlash as those of Monet.
Courtesy – Wikimedia Commons
Mary Cassatt’s collaboration with Degas was instrumental in her growth as an artist. He introduced her to copper engraving and often featured her in his works. Though she felt a strong emotional connection to him, she eventually accepted the impossibility of a stable relationship with the volatile artist.
Decline and Legacy
By the early 1900s, Mary Cassatt’s productivity declined due to failing eyesight. She gave up printmaking in 1901 and ceased painting by 1904. She spent her final years in Grasse and passed away in 1926 at her estate, Château de Beaufresne, in France.
Mary Cassatt remains the only American artist formally recognised as a member of the Impressionist group. Her lasting legacy lies in her ability to depict women and children with honesty, empathy, and strength. Through her defiance of societal norms and her brilliant artistry, Mary Cassatt redefined what it meant to be a woman and an artist.
Image – Mary Cassatt. The Mandolin Player (1872). Courtesy – ArtsDot.com
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