Mary Cassatt

French Legion of Honor
Mary Cassatt
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Mother Feeding Child, 1898
Mary Cassatt

Allow me to present: Mary Cassatt (1844 - 1926).

The account in Wikipedia of Cassatts' family resisting her choice of art as a profession, and her pressing her nose against the glass of the art dealer's window to see Degas' pastels and being transformed by seeing these watershed artworks, is enough to give you goosebumps. Then, to be invited by Degas to show with the Impressionists at the height of their powers in Paris - what a story! I don't know about today, but there certainly was a glass ceiling in the 19th century when our heroine came up. She was an American, living in Paris, who was invited to show in the Impressionist exhibitions.

She is another of the great lights whose eyesight failed in the latter years of their lives. Also in the significa department are her being honored with the French Legion d'honneur in 1904, and the naming of a Liberty Ship after the old girl during WW II. Wonderful recognitions of a worthy and great pastellist.

Cassatt Self Portrait, 1878

Admin note: Republished so that you may now comment.

Pastel News

Claude Monet was no stranger to the pastel medium. The link takes you to a report about The Unknown Monet: Pastels and Drawings (short pdf. exhibit catalog here), which opened yesterday in London's Royal Academy of Arts.

Of interest is the factoid that he exhibited seven pastels at the first Impressionist exhibit (Paris) in 1874. There are 20 pastels at the current exhibit, some of which are rather large. I am curious how they are framed. Are they in their original frames? Glass or plexi (if re-framed)? Katherine, any chance you have seen them?

The London duration of exhibit is 17 March - 10 June, 2007. Then the Clark Art Institute in Massachusetts will have the old boys' art from 23 June - 16 September, 2007.

Kitty Wallis of Portland, Oregon does some fabulous water lily pastels that remind me of Monet.