Artwork
Afternoon Tea Party
Afternoon Tea Party is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Mary Cassatt. It dates from 1890 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1890, *Afternoon Tea Party* is a color print by Mary Cassatt that combines drypoint, soft‑ground etching and aquatint on laid paper. The composition shows two women seated at a modest table, surrounded by teacups, a teapot and chairs, while a muted light filters in from a nearby window. The figures are rendered with simple line work, giving the scene a quiet, intimate atmosphere.
Subject & Meaning
The image captures a domestic moment, focusing on the quiet interaction between the two women. One holds a cup, the other turns her gaze away, suggesting a private conversation or contemplation. Cassatt’s choice of a tea setting reflects her broader interest in the everyday lives of women, emphasizing the subtle emotional connections that unfold in private, domestic spaces.
Technique & Style
Cassatt employed a combination of drypoint, soft‑ground etching and aquatint, allowing for both fine line work and tonal variation. The loose, sketch‑like strokes convey immediacy, while the aquatint creates soft shadows that model the dim interior. The laid paper surface contributes a textured backdrop, enhancing the sense of depth without smoothing the rapid marks of the artist’s hand.
History & Provenance
The print was produced during Cassatt’s mature period while she lived in France, a time when she regularly exhibited with the Impressionists after forming a friendship with Edgar Degas. *Afternoon Tea Party* entered the public domain through early 20th‑century print collections and has since been held by several major institutions that focus on American and European printmaking.
Context
Cassatt’s work aligns with the Impressionist interest in modern life, yet she directed her attention toward the private sphere of women’s routines. By depicting a tea gathering—a socially accepted female activity—she subtly interrogates the boundaries between public performance and personal experience, a theme that recurs throughout her prints and paintings of the era.
Artist & collection
Artist
Mary Stevenson Cassatt (; May 22, 1844 – June 14, 1926) was an American painter and printmaker.
