Girl in a Hat with a Black Ribbon c. 1901 - 1902

Mary Cassatt made this pastel drawing of a "Girl in a Hat with a Black Ribbon", and it’s so fresh, you can almost smell the chalk dust! The marks are gentle, almost tentative, like she’s feeling her way through the image. I love the way Cassatt uses color – pale greens and yellows that give the impression of a summer day, and the way she uses this palette to suggest the child's skin tone, all rosy cheeks and blonde hair. Look at the lower area; the way the pastel is layered creates a soft, hazy effect. The black ribbon on the hat is this beautiful, bold stroke, giving a sense of movement. It reminds me a bit of Degas and his ballerinas – that same interest in capturing a fleeting moment, but with a uniquely feminine sensibility. Cassatt’s work always feels so personal, so intimate. It's a reminder that art is not about perfection, but about the beauty of the imperfect, the beauty of the process.