Mrs. Robert Simpson Cassatt 1873

Mary Cassatt, an American artist who spent much of her adult life in France, painted this portrait of her mother using oil on canvas. The painting invites us to consider the social conditions that shaped artistic production in the late 19th century. Cassatt was one of very few female artists to associate with the French Impressionists, at a time when the art world was dominated by men, and access to training and exhibition opportunities was often limited for women. Consider what it might have meant for Cassatt to paint her own mother. Perhaps, she sought to portray the private lives and domestic sphere of women, at a time when their experiences were often overlooked. The portrait is a departure from the more traditional, idealized portraits of women that were common at the time. By studying Cassatt's personal letters and the exhibition records of the time, we can better understand how this work both reflected and challenged the social norms of her day. Ultimately, its meaning is contingent on its historical context.