Susan on a Balcony Holding a Dog [verso]

The composition depicts a young woman, identified as Susan, standing on a balcony while cradling a small dog. The gesture suggests a moment of personal intimacy, emphasizing the bond between the figure and her pet. Cassatt often used such scenes to explore the private sphere of women, highlighting their roles within familial and social settings.

Cassatt employed transferred soft‑ground, a process in which a soft‑ground layer is applied to a plate, imprinted, and then transferred onto paper, allowing for delicate, atmospheric lines. Executed on wove paper, the drawing exhibits the muted tonalities and loose handling characteristic of her work during the Impressionist period, while retaining a precise draftsmanship.

Created at a time when artists were increasingly turning to modern life for subject matter, the drawing reflects the Impressionist preoccupation with fleeting moments and everyday activities. Cassatt, an American expatriate in Paris, was closely associated with Edgar Degas and regularly exhibited with the Impressionists, positioning this work within that broader artistic movement.

The drawing remains part of a private collection, with its early exhibition history linked to Cassatt’s shows with the Impressionists in the 1880s. Documentation traces its ownership through several European collectors before it entered its current setting, though precise details of its acquisition are limited.