At the Window 1889

Mary Cassatt made this pastel drawing of a mother and child, titled 'At the Window,' at a time when her work was focused on the domestic lives of women. As a woman artist in late 19th-century France, Cassatt found herself in a male-dominated art world that often relegated women to the role of the muse rather than the artist. Her work, like this drawing, challenged those social structures by depicting the everyday experiences of women from their own perspective. She frequently portrayed mothers and children in intimate moments, a subject matter considered appropriate for women artists, but she approached it with a modern sensibility, focusing on the psychological connection between the figures. This interest in the intimate details of women's lives also coincided with the rise of feminist movements that sought to challenge traditional gender roles and expectations. Historians use letters and diaries to understand the social context of Cassatt's work. The art itself is contingent on social and institutional contexts.