Mary Cassatt
She was a woman who soared to the stars across the firmament of the male-dominated international art world. She was the only American, male or female, to become a member of the French Impressionists. Most women of her time were confined to the circumscribed world of marriage, homemaking and motherhood, but not her. Who is she? She is Mary Cassatt, certainly the greatest American female artist of her time, and arguably the greatest artist produced by any nation. Born in Pittsburgh on May 23, 1844, this American artist studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia before traveling extensively throughout Europe. The daughter of an affluent businessman, Cassatt's parents were not enthused with their daughter's aspirations to become an artist, preferring instead for her to return home to marry and settle down. But the independent Cassatt made Paris her permanent home in 1874, the year of the first Impressionist Exhibition and Cassatt's first Salon success. She met Degas in 1877 and the relationship had an immediate effect on Cassatt's work. While she employed an impressionist style and exhibited at 4 of 8 Impressionist exhibitions, her paintings express a uniqueness of their own. Most famous for her mother
Craze. Sophia. Mary Cassatt. New York: Knickerbocker Press, 1998 (p55) Initially, starting with emphasis, that main focus is the woman. Her elongated body consumes the print from the top to bottom and is by far the focal point. The woman is also, along with the rest of the images, realistically proportionate. The basin, bottles, and pitcher seem as if they actually fit her needs. Another element to consider in relation to the print is space. The woman consumes most of the space, creating very little negative space. The flat two-dimensional surface also shows most of the main images in the fore and mid ground. All the space is utilized in the most positive way. Line also plays and important role in relation to shape. There are many nice geometric shapes represented in this print due to the abundance of straight lines. The mirror and the door of the basin are examples of geometric squares. The Woman's back also forms a somewhat geometric triangle. But, in addition to geometric shapes, there are also organic shapes as well. The various bottles that rest on the basin stand, the designs on the rug, and the pitcher next to the stand are all prime examples of organic shapes. Texture is apparent in this work of art. The richness of the scratched drypoint lines creates a very real texture. Cassatt's perfection of drypoint shows us the bare bones of the work of art, the texture is permanent and intensely real. Balance is also achieved the print with the assistance of movement. At a glance the artwork seem uneven, with the woman positioned majority on the right side. But, after focussing on the movement, balance can be achieved once you notice the items on the left. In addition to applying the elements of art to Cassatt's masterpiece, it also important to analyze the print by applying the principles of art.
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1350
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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