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Personal life
What later life events (marriage, children, deaths, etc.) had a major influence on the
artist?
Mary’s friendship with Edgar Degas significantly influenced her. He asked her to join a
group of artists, who later became known as the Impressionists. Mary was already
familiar with the work of Edgar Degas. Mary had said, “I used to go and flatten my nose
against that window and absorb all I could of his art; It changed my life. I saw art then as
I wanted to see it.” Mary is quoted as saying, “I accepted with joy. I hated conventional
art. I began to live.” He introduced her to pastel and engraving. She started carrying
around a sketchbook and recorded the scenes she saw. Shortly afterwards, Mary’s father,
who had opposed her career as an artist, accepted her skills and recognized her growing
success.
Time Period
Describe what prevailing style of art was popular when the artist first started?
Mary Cassatt started her work as an artist during the Modern Art movement. A small
group of French artists broke free of the traditional forms of painting and called
themselves the impressionists. Their paintings were of contemporary life.
What ‘new’ style did the artist start, or get involved in?
Impressionism and printmaking
What important historical events happened during the artist’s lifetime that
influenced one or more pieces?
Mary Cassatt was influenced by the Women’s Rights Movement and several of her pieces
show women in a new light. Mary is well known for her paintings of mothers and
children, but specific pieces showcase the advancements in women’s rights. Two of these
paintings are Reading "Le Figaro" and Lydia Reading the Morning Paper. These
paintings, of Mary’s mother and sister respectively, shows the importance of women’s
growing literacy. Another painting, A Woman and a Girl Driving, shows a woman
performing a physical task, which was unusual for its time. In 1915, she showed eighteen
works in an exhibition supporting women’s suffrage.
Select one piece that your artist did
Name two elements of design that the artist used in this piece:
Psychological line and color
Name one principle of design that the artist used in this piece:
Scale
When you first looked at this piece what was your reaction to it?
It gave me a feeling of mysteriousness. All I noticed was a man was looking at the
woman instead of the performance, like everyone else.
Sources
2. Mary Cassatt, 1844-1926: She Broke Social Barriers With Her Art
http://www.manythings.org/voa/people/Mary_Cassatt.html