Mother Feeding Child

Mary Cassatt American

Not on view

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.

Mother Feeding Child, Mary Cassatt (American, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 1844–1926 Le Mesnil-Théribus, Oise), Pastel on wove paper, mounted on canvas, American

This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.

Mother Feeding Child, Mary Cassatt (American, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 1844–1926 Le Mesnil-Théribus, Oise), Pastel on wove paper, mounted on canvas, American
Mother Feeding Child, Mary Cassatt (American, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 1844–1926 Le Mesnil-Théribus, Oise), Pastel on wove paper, mounted on canvas, American
Mother Feeding Child, Mary Cassatt (American, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 1844–1926 Le Mesnil-Théribus, Oise), Pastel on wove paper, mounted on canvas, American
Mother Feeding Child, Mary Cassatt (American, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 1844–1926 Le Mesnil-Théribus, Oise), Pastel on wove paper, mounted on canvas, American

This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.