Let’s celebrate the first female to join my series of ‘Art I’m loving today‘. Art history is dominated by the male of the species. But we’ll hope that’s a past occurrence and in the future there are ample women in the pages of the text books. Now to the Impressionist (yes another impressionist, this being a rather dominant genre in art history texts) artist Mary Cassatt.
In this drypoint etching the influence of Japanese prints is unmistakable. The flattened forms and scant detail highlight the devotion of mother and child. There are 10 etchings in this series and although there is a similarity of composition and subject matters this etching is appealing in its beauty and simplicity.
I don’t know too much about this artist as an individual but I do know that she was not among the artists who exhibited in the first Impressionist exhibition of 1874 and she was introduced to the group by her mentor Edgar Degas. I’m pleased I came across this work though by Cassatt today, a work I would never have associated with the Impressionists.
Hope your day is full of natural beauty and you find something new to admire. Cheers
Kerri Smith Artist 