Margot 1902

Mary Cassatt captured this small portrait of a child named Margot with pastel on paper. The surface texture is so interesting; Cassatt’s pastel strokes build up layers of color, each mark distinct yet blending to create form. Look closely at the dress: the reds and browns aren't uniform but made of hatched lines, almost like a woven fabric. The background is a wash of yellow and green, a soft hazy contrast to the child's detailed features. It’s as if she’s playing with the immediacy of the medium, letting us see the process. The texture and color bring a certain warmth and intimacy to the image. It feels like a fleeting moment, a snapshot of childhood. Cassatt, like Degas, was experimenting with pastel at this time and both were surely influenced by the bold mark making of Manet. Ultimately, though, the conversation between artists is a reminder that art is never really finished, just passed on.