Art Guide · Painters
Mary Cassatt
1844–1926
Mary Cassatt (1844–1926) was an American painter who exhibited with the Impressionists in Paris, painting the everyday moments of mothers and children with warmth and intimacy.
Last updated: · Iconica Society editors
Life and work
Born in Pennsylvania, she decided to become a painter despite her family’s objections. She settled in Paris in 1874 and, at Degas’s invitation, showed with the Impressionists from 1879. Inspired by Japanese prints she made colour prints, and she encouraged American collectors to buy Impressionist art.
The Child’s Bath (1893, Art Institute of Chicago), with its high viewpoint and patterned fabrics, shows the influence of Japanese prints.
Key works
Shop Mary Cassatt posters →Frequently asked questions
Was Cassatt an Impressionist?
Yes; invited by Degas, she was the only American to exhibit with the Impressionists, from 1879 onwards.