The Letter
Mary Cassatt · 1890–91 · Art Institute of Chicago
Guide
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From the museum
Mary Cassatt began a series of color prints in 1890 that exemplify her indebtedness to Japanese color woodblock prints and her thematic focus on figures in interiors. In The Letter, Cassatt used the patterns of the woman's dress and wallpaper as well as vibrant printing inks to manipulate space and formal elements inspired by Japanese art. The subject matter reflects the artist's focus on women indoors because contemporary social mores restricted their activities outside the home.
The museum’s own description, in English. Licence: CC BY 4.0
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Details
- Maker
- Mary Cassatt (American, 1844-1926), printed with Leroy (French, active 1876-1900)
- Date
- 1890–91
- Medium
- Color aquatint and drypoint on off-white laid paper
- Dimensions
- Image/plate: 34.5 × 21.1 cm (13 5/8 × 8 5/16 in.); Sheet: 43.7 × 29.7 cm (17 1/4 × 11 3/4 in.)
- Place of origin
- United States
- Held by
- Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · On view · Gallery 184
- Credit line
- Mr. and Mrs. Martin A. Ryerson Collection
Image: Art Institute of Chicago, CC0
