The Bath 1890 - 1891

Editor: This is Mary Cassatt's "The Bath," a print currently housed at the Harvard Art Museums. The tenderness between the mother and child really strikes me. What social dynamics do you see represented in this piece? Curator: Cassatt, as a woman artist of her time, challenged societal norms by focusing on domestic scenes and the lives of women. This intimacy wasn't always valued, and Cassatt elevated it. Editor: So, the act of depicting it was a statement? Curator: Precisely. Consider how Cassatt navigates the male gaze, portraying female subjects with agency and challenging traditional representations of women in art. Editor: That's something to consider when viewing her work. I'm glad I asked! Curator: Me too. It's important to recognise the political charge in the everyday.