Gathering Fruit 1893

Mary Cassatt, an American artist who lived much of her adult life in France, probably made *Gathering Fruit* at the turn of the 20th century. As an upper-class woman artist living in Europe, Cassatt was an anomaly. She broke with the traditional expectations of women of her time and class, choosing to pursue art professionally and independently. She was well known for her images of women in domestic and social settings. Here, we see a moment that is both intimate and ordinary: a mother and child gathering fruit. However, this isn't just a sweet domestic scene. Cassatt was deeply influenced by Japanese prints, which were very popular at the time. She even made a series of prints herself in this style. Cassatt's choices to use color and flattening perspective, and to focus on domestic scenes where women took center stage reflect a very subtle but real shift in representation. Cassatt's artwork reflects the emotional and personal experiences of women and motherhood and subtly challenges the status quo.