The Bath (recto)
1890-1891
Mary Cassatt captures a tender, everyday moment of bath time with loose, expressive lines that feel remarkably modern. As the only American invited to exhibit with the French Impressionists, she famously focused on the private lives of women, elevating domestic chores into high art. This sketch, likely a preparatory study for her celebrated pastel series, highlights her fascination with the physical closeness and quiet intimacy between mother and child. Her work was heavily influenced by Japanese woodblock prints, which inspired her bold compositions and focus on pattern.
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