Mother’s Goodnight Kiss 1888

Mary Cassatt made this intimate scene of motherhood with pastels, a medium that blends drawing and painting. Pastels are made of pure pigment, the same material that gives paint its color, but mixed with just enough binder to hold them together. This gives them a soft, velvety texture, evident in the gentle gradations of color across the mother's face and dress. Cassatt layers strokes of different hues to create depth and form, rather than blending them smoothly. The marks are clearly visible. The relative ease of pastel allowed Cassatt to capture fleeting moments of everyday life, like this bedtime ritual. The looseness of the medium also made it appealing to artists interested in challenging the traditional hierarchy of art materials. Pastel was quicker and less laborious, and it allowed a freedom of expression. By embracing pastel, Cassatt aligned herself with a broader movement towards informality and immediacy in art, valuing directness of expression over labored finish.