Mary Cassatt: An American Impressionist in Paris

Mary Stevenson Cassatt stands as a pivotal figure in the history of art, celebrated for her significant contributions to the Impressionist movement. As one of the few women, and the only American, to exhibit alongside the core group of French Impressionists, she carved out a unique space for herself in the male-dominated Parisian art world of the late 19th century. Cassatt’s work is distinguished by its intimate and unsentimental portrayal of the private and social lives of women, with a particular focus on the profound bond between mothers and children. Her artistic journey, marked by determination, innovation, and a keen observational eye, not only shaped the trajectory of Impressionism but also paved the way for future generations of female artists.

Early Life and Artistic Awakening

Born on May 22, 1844, in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania (now part of Pittsburgh), Mary Cassatt was a child of privilege. Her father, Robert Simpson Cassat (he later added the second 't'), was a successful stockbroker, and her mother, Katherine Kelso Johnston, came from a well-educated banking family. The Cassatt family believed that travel was integral to education, and Mary spent five years of her childhood in Europe, living in France and Germany. This early exposure to European culture and art, including visits to the Paris World’s Fair of 1855, undoubtedly planted the seeds of her artistic ambitions.

Despite her family’s conventional expectations for a woman of her class, to marry well and manage a household, Cassatt was determined to become a professional artist. At the age of 15, she enrolled at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia. Though the training was considered among the best in the United States, she grew impatient with the slow pace of the curriculum and the condescending attitude toward female students. The program focused heavily on drawing from casts, with limited access to live models. Believing that a true artistic education could only be found in Europe, Cassatt made the bold decision to move abroad. In 1866, with her mother acting as chaperone, she moved to Paris.

Forging a Path in Paris

Since women were not yet permitted to enroll at the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts, Cassatt arranged for private instruction with masters from the school, including Jean-Léon Gérôme. She supplemented her formal training by spending countless hours at the Louvre, where she obtained a permit to copy the works of Old Masters. This practice was a traditional method for art students to hone their technique and develop their style.

Cassatt’s early work reflected the academic style popular at the time. Her painting, A Mandolin Player, was accepted by the Paris Salon of 1868, a significant achievement for a young artist. The Salon was the official, state-sponsored exhibition, and acceptance was crucial for an artist’s career. For several years, she continued to submit works and gained a respectable, if conventional, reputation.

However, her artistic direction began to shift. The outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War in 1870 forced her to return to the United States. Living with her family in Altoona, Pennsylvania, she found her creative spirit stifled. The provincial environment offered little artistic inspiration, and she struggled to find high-quality materials. Discouraged, she nearly abandoned painting. Her fortunes changed in 1871 when the Archbishop of Pittsburgh commissioned her to paint copies of two works by Correggio in Parma, Italy. With her travel and expenses covered, she eagerly returned to Europe. The artistic freedom she experienced in Italy, Spain, and Holland reignited her passion. It was during this period that her work began to show greater spontaneity and a bolder use of color.

The Influence of Impressionism and Edgar Degas

Upon her return to Paris in 1874, Cassatt’s artistic sensibilities had evolved. She grew increasingly frustrated with the rigid conventions of the Salon, which began rejecting her more experimental works. It was around this time that she first encountered the paintings of the Impressionists, a group of independent artists who had organized their own exhibition in defiance of the Salon. She was particularly struck by the pastels of Edgar Degas, whose innovative compositions and modern subject matter resonated deeply with her.

In 1877, a pivotal moment in her career arrived when Degas himself, having admired her work, invited her to exhibit with the Impressionists. Cassatt readily accepted, later recalling, "I accepted with joy. At last, I could work with absolute independence without considering the opinion of a jury. I had already recognized who were my true masters. I admired Manet, Courbet, and Degas. I hated conventional art. I began to live."

The association with the Impressionists, and particularly her lifelong friendship with Degas, was transformative. They shared a mutual respect, pushing each other to experiment with composition, perspective, and new media. Degas encouraged her exploration of printmaking, and together they mastered techniques like aquatint and drypoint. While their styles remained distinct, they shared an interest in capturing fleeting moments of modern life with an objective, yet empathetic, eye.

The Child's Bath (1893)

Major Works and Signature Themes

Joining the Impressionists liberated Cassatt to focus on the subjects that truly interested her: the world of contemporary women. Restricted by social convention from the cafés, bars, and racetracks frequented by her male counterparts, she turned her gaze inward to the domestic sphere.

Breakfast in Bed (1897)

Her depictions of mothers and children are perhaps her most famous works. Unlike the sentimental or idealized portrayals common in Victorian art, Cassatt’s paintings capture the natural, unposed interactions between a mother and her child. Works like The Child's Bath (1893) and Breakfast in Bed (1897) are masterpieces of composition and emotional depth. She renders the physical closeness, the gentle touch, the protective embrace, with a profound sense of authenticity. Her use of bold patterns, flattened perspectives, and cropped compositions, often inspired by Japanese prints, imbues these intimate scenes with a striking modernity.

 In the Loge (1878)

Cassatt also explored the social lives of women. Paintings such as In the Loge (1878) depict women in public spaces like the opera. Here, she captures the complex dynamic of seeing and being seen. Her subjects are active participants, not passive objects of the male gaze. They are engaged with their surroundings, reflecting the changing role of women in the late 19th century.

Five O'Clock Tea (1880)

A Champion for Women in Art

Mary Cassatt’s impact extends beyond her own artistic output. She was a trailblazer who challenged the barriers facing women in the art world. By achieving professional success on her own terms, she demonstrated that women could be serious, innovative artists. She never married or had children, choosing to dedicate her life entirely to her work, a radical decision for a woman of her era.

Furthermore, she became an influential advisor to American collectors, including her friend Louisine Havemeyer. Cassatt guided Havemeyer in acquiring a significant collection of Impressionist art, which was later bequeathed to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Through this role, she helped shape American taste and ensured that the works of her European colleagues would find a prominent place in American museums, effectively introducing Impressionism to the United States. She also served as a mentor to young American female artists studying abroad, offering them guidance and support.

Enduring Legacy

In her later years, Mary Cassatt’s eyesight began to fail due to diabetes, and by 1914 she was forced to stop painting altogether. She spent her final years at her country home, Château de Beaufresne, near Paris, and passed away on June 14, 1926.

Today, Mary Cassatt is recognized not simply as an Impressionist, but as a master artist in her own right. Her work is celebrated for its technical brilliance, its formal innovation, and its sensitive exploration of the human condition. She redefined the portrayal of women and children in art, infusing domestic subjects with a gravity and psychological complexity they had rarely been afforded. As an artist, a mentor, and a visionary, Mary Cassatt’s legacy is one of unwavering dedication to her craft and a quiet, yet profound, revolution in the world of art.