Alongside her peers Marie Bracquemond and Berthe Morisot - American born artist Mary Cassatt has gained renown as one of "les trois grandes dames" (the three great ladies) of Impressionism.
Thank you so much for this George, her work is sublime. Her grasp of the feminine, of the delight to be young and at the opera and delighting in the spectacle of it all. Her use of light is masterful, take the painting Lydia leaning on her arms, she has lit her from below, the lights brilliance on the bottom her dress with lemon yellows and pink, then under lighting her face in lavender and mauve, while at the same time , backlighting her shoulders and hair with the chandelier behind her. As I said masterful. I also love her painting In the Loge, woman with opera glasses, the man in the background, you see him leaning around his wife aiming his opera glasses at the subject of the painting, a touch female artist would see and give an interplay of intrigue.
Her work is all the better for meeting Degas, as his was meeting her, maybe more.
Ah, thanks for this! I’m always reminded of my high school art teacher when I see Mary Cassat’s work. Mrs Smith also taught art appreciation which I took my freshman year. During an exercise in which we were encouraged to take paper and pastels from a tub and try to recreate what was projected onto the overhead screen - a piece by Edgar Degas, naturally - she stopped me to have a look at my work. She encouraged me to take her art classes going forward and I felt as if I grew in spirit and heart that day. Mary Cassat featured in many of our discussions in Mrs Smith’s classes and certainly on style recognition tests. Over thirty years later (July of this year) I stood in front of works by Cassat, Degas, and so many others at the Musée D’Orsay that I’d only seen in books. I took a moment to just sit down and be in the room in the moment in gratitude. I testify that art shaped my life and I am a better man for it.
Although I enjoy the ballerina paintings of Degas very much - can I say this. I like Mary Cassatt better than Edgar Degas in the paintings you have included here. Yes, it is easy to see a similarity in style, but I see Cassatt’s paintings to be softer and more pleasing to my eyes.
Oh, of course. Everyone has their own preferred aesthetic - so for her softer style and more delicate way of blending colours, I can totally see why you’d prefer Cassatt’s work here.
First, I love Mary Cassat. There is a beautiful intimacy to her renderings of women that always makes me linger on an image. Secondly, in thinking of Degas and Cassat, it’s interesting how artists riff off each other’s work. Having a vibrant artistic community and space to share ideas creates better art… works in communication with each other, seeing the same world through slightly different vantages— establishing a depth that lets people like us look back and see the culture of the past in a multidimensional manner.
I totally agree. There is a stereotype of great artists being quite reclusive or working in isolation, but in many ways this could not be further from the truth.
The renaissance masters all knew each other as friends/collaborators or direct competition.
The impressionist group were constantly learning from each other.
And even an “outsider” like Vincent van Gogh still had his own friendship group, and a strong connection to the artists of his time - integrating their ideas into his own works.
I love Mary Cassatt. Thank you very much for this informative post. I had no idea about Cassatt's friendship with Degas and even how they influenced each other.
Thank you so much for this George, her work is sublime. Her grasp of the feminine, of the delight to be young and at the opera and delighting in the spectacle of it all. Her use of light is masterful, take the painting Lydia leaning on her arms, she has lit her from below, the lights brilliance on the bottom her dress with lemon yellows and pink, then under lighting her face in lavender and mauve, while at the same time , backlighting her shoulders and hair with the chandelier behind her. As I said masterful. I also love her painting In the Loge, woman with opera glasses, the man in the background, you see him leaning around his wife aiming his opera glasses at the subject of the painting, a touch female artist would see and give an interplay of intrigue.
Her work is all the better for meeting Degas, as his was meeting her, maybe more.
Great observations, Lauren - and I’m glad to know you enjoyed it all. Thanks for reading.
Very much indeed, thanks again
Ah, thanks for this! I’m always reminded of my high school art teacher when I see Mary Cassat’s work. Mrs Smith also taught art appreciation which I took my freshman year. During an exercise in which we were encouraged to take paper and pastels from a tub and try to recreate what was projected onto the overhead screen - a piece by Edgar Degas, naturally - she stopped me to have a look at my work. She encouraged me to take her art classes going forward and I felt as if I grew in spirit and heart that day. Mary Cassat featured in many of our discussions in Mrs Smith’s classes and certainly on style recognition tests. Over thirty years later (July of this year) I stood in front of works by Cassat, Degas, and so many others at the Musée D’Orsay that I’d only seen in books. I took a moment to just sit down and be in the room in the moment in gratitude. I testify that art shaped my life and I am a better man for it.
Wow. What a lovely thing to remember. Thanks for sharing that here.
Cassatt’s gaze always feels more intimate and empathetic than that of Degas, who seems (to me anyway) to view his subjects with greater detachment
That’s a really interesting observation. And considering their respective personalities, it definitely fits the kind of people they were.
A great time is had by all! Thanks George.
Two of my favorites, thank you so ce much for exploring their relationship and juxtaposing their work!
Glad you enjoyed it, Jenn. Thanks for reading.
Although I enjoy the ballerina paintings of Degas very much - can I say this. I like Mary Cassatt better than Edgar Degas in the paintings you have included here. Yes, it is easy to see a similarity in style, but I see Cassatt’s paintings to be softer and more pleasing to my eyes.
Oh, of course. Everyone has their own preferred aesthetic - so for her softer style and more delicate way of blending colours, I can totally see why you’d prefer Cassatt’s work here.
First, I love Mary Cassat. There is a beautiful intimacy to her renderings of women that always makes me linger on an image. Secondly, in thinking of Degas and Cassat, it’s interesting how artists riff off each other’s work. Having a vibrant artistic community and space to share ideas creates better art… works in communication with each other, seeing the same world through slightly different vantages— establishing a depth that lets people like us look back and see the culture of the past in a multidimensional manner.
I totally agree. There is a stereotype of great artists being quite reclusive or working in isolation, but in many ways this could not be further from the truth.
The renaissance masters all knew each other as friends/collaborators or direct competition.
The impressionist group were constantly learning from each other.
And even an “outsider” like Vincent van Gogh still had his own friendship group, and a strong connection to the artists of his time - integrating their ideas into his own works.
Thank you for this article. Mary Cassatt has always been one of my favorite impressionists
I love Mary Cassatt. Thank you very much for this informative post. I had no idea about Cassatt's friendship with Degas and even how they influenced each other.
The punk dress! I love her work but never saw that one before!
Excellent piece, thank you. It takes me back to a piece of fiction I wrote inspired by ‘in the loge’.
https://open.substack.com/pub/justwriteright/p/comedy-of-errors?r=56lr6&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Love this. Thanks for sharing.
Aw, thank you for reading it. Lovely to be reminded about some of the things I wrote in the early stage of my little writing project.
So glad we have this introspection