Portrait of Madame Alfred Lavergne, born Magdalena Mellon 1905

Mary Cassatt made this portrait of Madame Alfred Lavergne with pastel. You can see how the strokes of color build up to make a face and a lacy collar. I can just imagine Cassatt feeling the pastel between her fingers, layering the colors, smudging them maybe, to get that soft focus. Do you think she had to ask Madame Lavergne to sit still for hours? Or did she capture her quickly, alla prima? Maybe it was a bit of both: a quick sketch followed by more careful work in the studio. Look at the way Cassatt uses color to describe the light on Madame Lavergne's face. Pink and yellow and blue, all mixed together to create a sense of vibrancy. And the background kind of dissolves into these scribbly marks, pushing her forward, but still, so gentle. It reminds me of Degas, another painter of modern life, but with a sweetness that's all Cassatt's own. It's like they are having a conversation about light, color and form, each with their own unique voice.