Sketch of Mother Looking down at Thomas 1915

Mary Cassatt made this sketch of a mother looking down at Thomas with pastel on paper. There's a real tenderness in the scumbled marks that make up this piece; it feels like Cassatt is feeling her way into the form. The textures are soft, almost like a memory taking shape. The blue background feels like a gentle hug, enveloping the figures. Then there's the way the orange pastel defines the mother’s form, it is almost as though she is a protective shell around the child. Check out the child's face. It's not overly detailed, but those few strokes of pastel capture a whole world of innocence and trust. Cassatt is so good at capturing these in-between moments. Degas, who she was friends with, also worked with pastel and had a similar interest in depicting these sorts of quiet, intimate moments. Ultimately, this piece is a reminder that art is all about seeing and feeling, not just knowing.