Mother Feeding Child

Mary Cassatt

1898 · Pastel on wove paper, mounted on canvas · The American Wing

After about 1893, Cassatt's attention to the special bond between mother and child came to the fore in her work. In this ambitious sheet, the suggestion of the woman as a secular "modern Madonna" is explicit. Cassatt, however, seemed equally interested in creating a childhood genre scene and exploring textures, patterns, and still-life details. The delicate handling of the medium reflects her susceptibility to French Rococo pastels, such as those by Maurice Quentin de La Tour, drawings that are notable for their precision, clarity, and light painterly touch.

Artist

Mary Cassatt

Date

1898

Medium

Pastel on wove paper, mounted on canvas

Culture

American

Department

The American Wing

Credit line

From the Collection of James Stillman, Gift of Dr. Ernest G. Stillman, 1922