The Fitting 1890 - 1891

Mary Cassatt made this print, The Fitting, using drypoint and aquatint, two distinct methods of etching that yield very different results. Drypoint involves scratching directly into a metal plate, creating a burr that holds ink, resulting in soft, velvety lines. Aquatint, on the other hand, uses acid to bite around particles of resin, creating areas of tone. Look closely, and you can see how Cassatt uses both techniques to her advantage, to give us a window into a specific moment. The velvety lines of drypoint delicately outline the figures and capture fleeting expressions, while the aquatint creates depth and atmosphere. The result feels spontaneous, almost like a sketch. It's worth remembering that printmaking, then as now, was a reproductive medium. This image is not only about fashion, but the fashioning of social identity. By choosing printmaking, with its connotations of reproduction and dissemination, Cassatt ensured that her vision of modern womanhood could reach a wide audience, challenging traditional distinctions between fine art and everyday life.