Who painted Before the Fireplace (No. 1)?

Before the Fireplace (No. 1) was painted by Mary Cassatt in 1882.

Where can I see Before the Fireplace (No. 1)?

Before the Fireplace (No. 1) is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Before the Fireplace (No. 1)?

Before the Fireplace (No. 1) is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

Before the Fireplace (No. 1)

Mary Cassatt , 1882

Before the Fireplace (No. 1) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Mary Cassatt. It dates from 1882 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Created circa 1882, *Before the Fireplace (No.

About this work

Overview

Created circa 1882, *Before the Fireplace (No. 1)* is a soft‑ground etching combined with aquatint on wove paper. The print captures a quiet interior scene: a woman seated on a couch, wrapped in a blanket, with a modest fireplace and a few framed pictures on its mantle. The composition is rendered in loose, sketch‑like lines and muted tonal values, suggesting a fleeting, intimate moment.

Subject & Meaning

The work portrays a solitary woman in a domestic setting, her posture relaxed and legs tucked beneath her. The surrounding furnishings—a simple armchair, heavy curtains, and a modest fireplace—emphasize the private, everyday nature of the scene. Cassatt’s focus on women’s private lives reflects her broader interest in the nuanced relationships and routines of the home.

Technique & Style

Cassatt employed soft‑ground etching to achieve fluid, gestural lines that convey the texture of the blanket and the softness of the figure’s pose. Aquatint was used to build up atmospheric dark tones, giving the image depth and a slightly grainy surface. The overall effect balances immediacy with the controlled nuance characteristic of her printmaking experiments.

History & Provenance

An American expatriate who spent most of her career in France, Cassatt aligned herself with the Impressionists after befriending Edgar Degas. *Before the Fireplace (No. 1)* was produced during a period when she was actively exhibiting with the group and exploring print media as a means to extend her investigations of domestic subjects.

Context

The print exemplifies Cassatt’s contribution to the Impressionist dialogue on modern life, particularly the private sphere of women. By translating a fleeting domestic moment into a reproducible medium, she broadened the reach of Impressionist concerns beyond painting, influencing subsequent generations of artists interested in everyday realism and the possibilities of etching.