Her Most Famous Painting (The Bath) - Mary Cassatt
American painter, Mary Stevenson Cassatt or Mary Cassatt (1844-1926) was a well-known 'Impressionist,' who left her indelible mark on the art scene, despite discouragement from her very affluent family of American stockbrokers.
Determined Mary however, not only infused life to the 'Contemporary Art' through her creative contributions, but she also monetarily supported the 'Impressionist Movement.
' Cassatt's choice of subjects, often set in pencil sketches, revolved mostly around mother and child activities and occasionally touched other domestic scenes.
In 1893, Cassatt created her magnum opus "The Child's Bath" or "The Bath," which beautifully encapsulates the essence of motherhood.
Mary's "The Bath" is a work of oil on canvas, 39.
5" X 26" in dimensions, featuring a mother giving bath to her child in the indoors, whereby the two figures cover almost two-third of the canvas.
This masterpiece carries a strong influence of the Japanese art and interiors, portrayed through the block patterns on the carpet, the design of the wallpaper behind, the attire of the mother, and the white jug of water placed in front.
The arrangement and the play of light indicate a source, most likely an open window towards the left side of the painting.
The child, wrapped in white bath towel, is shown seated on the lap of her mother with one foot partly immersed in a white colored small tub of water and the other positioned on its purple rim.
The left hand of the child is placed on her mother's knee for support and the right hand is casually kept on her own lap.
The mother, who is sitting on the floor, is shown holding the child with her left hand and using the right hand to wash her right foot.
The mother is dressed in a long robe with white, green, and lavender colored broad, vertical stripes, which adds focus to the central figures against a background of bland interiors.
The heads of the two figures are resting against each other, with their line of sight in the same direction, signifying their tender intimacy and involvement with the process of bathing.
The various points of physical contact between the mother and her child are not only designed to represent a true-to-life situation, rather they are also used as media to highlight their emotional connection.
"The Bath" is a very well crafted work, backed by keen observation and fine execution, which attracted widespread public attention throughout.
Ever since it became a part of the collection at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1910, it enticed many admirers and remains there among the most revered pieces of work of all times.
Determined Mary however, not only infused life to the 'Contemporary Art' through her creative contributions, but she also monetarily supported the 'Impressionist Movement.
' Cassatt's choice of subjects, often set in pencil sketches, revolved mostly around mother and child activities and occasionally touched other domestic scenes.
In 1893, Cassatt created her magnum opus "The Child's Bath" or "The Bath," which beautifully encapsulates the essence of motherhood.
Mary's "The Bath" is a work of oil on canvas, 39.
5" X 26" in dimensions, featuring a mother giving bath to her child in the indoors, whereby the two figures cover almost two-third of the canvas.
This masterpiece carries a strong influence of the Japanese art and interiors, portrayed through the block patterns on the carpet, the design of the wallpaper behind, the attire of the mother, and the white jug of water placed in front.
The arrangement and the play of light indicate a source, most likely an open window towards the left side of the painting.
The child, wrapped in white bath towel, is shown seated on the lap of her mother with one foot partly immersed in a white colored small tub of water and the other positioned on its purple rim.
The left hand of the child is placed on her mother's knee for support and the right hand is casually kept on her own lap.
The mother, who is sitting on the floor, is shown holding the child with her left hand and using the right hand to wash her right foot.
The mother is dressed in a long robe with white, green, and lavender colored broad, vertical stripes, which adds focus to the central figures against a background of bland interiors.
The heads of the two figures are resting against each other, with their line of sight in the same direction, signifying their tender intimacy and involvement with the process of bathing.
The various points of physical contact between the mother and her child are not only designed to represent a true-to-life situation, rather they are also used as media to highlight their emotional connection.
"The Bath" is a very well crafted work, backed by keen observation and fine execution, which attracted widespread public attention throughout.
Ever since it became a part of the collection at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1910, it enticed many admirers and remains there among the most revered pieces of work of all times.
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