Mother And Child 1908

This ‘Mother and Child’ painting, by Mary Cassatt, shows an intimate moment rendered in oil on canvas. Cassatt’s artmaking is all about the process, how she builds up layers of colour and texture to capture the fleeting quality of everyday life. Look closely and you can see the physicality of the medium; the paint isn't trying to hide itself, instead, it revels in its own materiality, especially in the way she models the form of the child's body. See how her delicate touches create a sense of light and warmth? And how those colours play off each other? It’s not about photorealism, but about capturing a feeling, an emotion. Cassatt’s modern approach to Impressionism can be compared to that of her contemporary, Berthe Morisot. Both women explored similar themes of domesticity and motherhood. It’s this ongoing conversation between artists, across time, that keeps art alive and relevant, embracing ambiguity and multiple perspectives.