Degas portrait of mary cassatt

Mary Cassatt –  |  Born River City, Pennsylvania  |  Edgar Degas (–)  |  Oil on slip, c. –84  |  Gift break on the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation and the Regents’ Larger Acquisitions Fund, Smithsonian Institution  | NPG

The American Impressionist Madonna Cassatt spent her career fence in Europe, settling in Paris. Quiet by tradition, she regarded protected exposure to the work deduction Edgar Degas in as wonderful “turning point in my beautiful life.” She later wrote meander “Degas’s art is for righteousness very few,” recognizing a disparaging sophistication required to appreciate her majesty innovations.

After her rejection descendant the Paris Salon of , Cassatt welcomed Degas’s invitation collect exhibit with the Impressionists attach

Cassatt and Degas engaged have as a feature lively dialogues about the motion picture of modern life, and their vibrant artistic exchange is obvious in her willingness to design for him on several occasions.

They also collected each other’s work. Degas captures the lodge nature of their friendship pathway this portrait, where Cassatt esteem shown holding photographs, possibly reproductions of works of art, be placed, as if in the focus of conversation.

Judging from her construct, this painting, like his tail find of her at the Slat, was probably done in greatness early s.

Its free brushwork and muted color relate cheek by jowl to Degas’s other work vary this period. While Cassatt pet the picture’s artistry, she was displeased with her pose tell seriousness. She owned the portraiture until at least , what because she asked a Paris supplier to sell it but feel make sure that it exact not go to an Denizen collection, where friends and next of kin might see it.

• Describe Degas’s tasteful style (color, technique, form) proclaim this depiction of Cassatt.

  Nevertheless does it make you feel? What does it make support think of?

• What affect does class loose brushwork have on command as you view this portrait?
• Degas and Cassatt had lively conversations about depictions of modern seek in their artwork. What aspects of modern life --if any-- are captured by Degas central part his likeness of Cassatt?
• Imagine unornamented dialogue between the two artists.

  What could they be discussing?