Nurse and Child 1897

Mary Cassatt composed 'Nurse and Child' with pastels on paper. The soft textures and muted colours create an intimate and tender scene, drawing us into this private moment between caregiver and child. The composition is structured by the diagonal sweep of the nurse's dress and the child's reclining form, leading our eye across the artwork. Cassatt destabilizes traditional portraiture by focusing not on formal representation, but on the emotional and physical connection between the figures. The nurse's gaze, directed downward, intersects with the upward gaze of the child, forming a visual and emotional dialogue. The pastel medium, with its delicate and layered strokes, contributes to the overall sense of warmth and intimacy. Cassatt uses colour tonally, creating depth and volume through subtle shifts in hue. This approach reflects a broader artistic concern with capturing fleeting moments and subjective experiences. The artwork invites us to consider how representation can move beyond mere imitation. The image explores how it can convey complex relationships and emotions through careful manipulation of form, colour, and composition.