Nursing c. 1890

Editor: Here we have Mary Cassatt's "Nursing," created around 1890. It’s a print, an etching and drypoint on paper. I’m immediately struck by the intimacy of the scene. What can you tell us about its broader context? Curator: This intimate scene gains resonance when viewed through the lens of late 19th-century social norms. Cassatt, unlike many of her male Impressionist counterparts, focused on the domestic sphere. Why do you think she chose such subjects? Editor: Well, as a woman, perhaps that was her lived experience, what was accessible and considered acceptable for her to depict? It's so different from Degas’ ballerinas or Manet’s café society. Curator: Exactly. The “acceptable” is key. Cassatt's focus challenged the male gaze that dominated the art world, carving space for female perspectives on motherhood. Consider how academic art of the time often idealized motherhood with religious connotations, contrasting sharply with Cassatt’s more realistic and less sentimental approach. The lack of sentimentality begs the question: what might be the statement? Editor: Perhaps portraying motherhood as an everyday, natural act, as opposed to a divine calling. Also, is the presence of this simple table including "woman" in art history? Curator: Precisely. Moreover, note how Cassatt's engagement with Japanese prints also shaped her aesthetic choices, such as simplified forms and flattened perspective. Do you think her composition, a kind of domestic realism, had an impact on female artists after her? Editor: Definitely! She legitimized the everyday experience of women as worthy subject matter. It’s amazing how radical something seemingly so simple could be. Curator: Yes, "Nursing" reflects how artists both shape and are shaped by socio-cultural forces. It demonstrates how artistic choices can offer nuanced insights into the lived experiences and changing roles of women in society.