Mary Cassatt The American Impressionist Created for Patterson Art Awareness By Liz Beutel Self Portrait, 1878

HER Early LIFE  Born in Pennsylvania in 1844  Was 4th of 5 children in family  Traveling with family was part of education  At 11 years old she saw the great artists of France and their work at the Paris World’s Fair in 1855  She began Art Academy of Pennsylvania at 15 years old  7 years later she moved to Paris, France to to teach herself by copying the old Masters at the Louvre museum Self Portrait, 1880 National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C.

Artist FRIENDS Remember this artist from last month’s art awareness? In 1877, Mary was invited by Degas to show her art with his group, The French Impressionists Stage Rehearsal by Edgar Degas, Mary Cassatt at the Louvre, 1879 by Edgar Degas She was very honored! She was the only woman and the only American to be included in this prestigious Art Show!

Her STYLE The way she could paint the tenderness of mother and child was amazing since she never had her own children. You can see The Bath in person at the Art Institute of Chicago! Little Girl in a Blue Arm Chair by Mary Cassatt, 1878 The Bath by Mary Cassatt, , Oil on Canvas Art Institute of Chicago

The SCIENCE of LIGHT The Impressionists were mostly concerned with capturing the effects of sunlight on colors and would often paint outdoors. Can you see which sister was painted with the most light? How could you tell? The girl on the left has most of her face lighter peach almost yellow, while the sister on the right has darker peach on her face.

The AMERICAN Role Model The Boating Party By the 1890’s she was back in New York and Exhibiting her art in Galleries. This was her busiest time and was a role model for women and American artists since she was the only woman and American that was part of the French Impressionism movement. Oil on Canvas, Mary Cassatt, 1893/4

The PASTEL Palette What kind of colors do you see in the skin of mom and child? See the colors orange, yellow, peach, tan, pink, grey Notice all the interesting yellow, blues and violets laid next to the white folds in the sheets. The Impressionists worked with soft pastel colors. Breakfast in Bed by Mary Cassatt, 1897

HER Later LIFE  Mary was a skilled artist; she painted, worked with pastels and printmaking as well  By 70 years old her health was failing and she was almost blind  Mary Cassatt died in 1926 at 82 years old in France  She has left a legacy of proud American female artistry  Recently her painting the Boating Party was featured on the Great American’s Postage Stamp Series  Cassatt’s paintings have sold for as much as $4.0 million a piece Photograph of Mary Cassatt