Mary Cassatt at the Louvre (study) 

Editor: This is "Mary Cassatt at the Louvre (study)" by Edgar Degas, it is undated and resides at the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art. I’m struck by the materials. The visible strokes suggest a mixed media approach, maybe pastel and charcoal? What’s your read of it? Curator: Indeed, it is vital we consider the artistic labor inherent in "Mary Cassatt at the Louvre." We have a work on paper— a deliberate choice to forgo the higher status typically granted to oil on canvas. This selection implies an engagement with modern artistic practice focused on accessibility. Do you observe how Degas’ rapid strokes create a sense of immediacy? Editor: Yes, the speed feels very modern. It does challenge traditional ideas about what art should be. Is Degas commenting on industrial production as a source of art? Curator: Precisely. Degas foregrounds process through his unconventional media and loose technique. It suggests a democratization of artistic creation, blurring the lines between the studio and everyday life. The high sheen of Cassatt's garment appears because of layering, and burnishing. Why is she facing away from us, at the Louvre? Editor: It makes me think about the labor of viewing art as a woman at that time. Access was probably quite controlled for her. Her back turned to us maybe gives us the chance to experience the restrictive nature of this era? Curator: Exactly. Consider the social context – the materials, such as fashionable Parisian dress, locate us firmly within a sphere of bourgeois consumption and spectacle, while underscoring her class position. This “study” isn’t just about portraying Mary Cassatt, it's revealing how cultural values and social standing could shape an artist. It really challenges us to ask about accessibility and production in art history. Editor: I hadn't thought about it like that! So the deliberate act of showing the "making" and laboring involved in creating art adds social value and meaning to the study beyond the figure it depicts. Curator: Precisely! Now you're viewing like a Materialist.