Artwork
Woman Bathing
Woman Bathing 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, *Woman Bathing* is a print by Mary Cassatt that combines dry‑point, soft‑ground etching, and aquatint on laid paper. The work portrays a nude woman engaged in a solitary bathing ritual within a modest interior. Its modest dimensions and subdued palette emphasize the intimacy of the scene, while the layered printmaking techniques produce a nuanced range of tones.
Subject & Meaning
The image captures a private, everyday moment, reflecting Cassatt’s recurring interest in women’s domestic experiences. By presenting the figure in an unguarded state, the print invites contemplation of personal routine and the quiet dignity of everyday life, themes that recur throughout Cassatt’s oeuvre and echo her focus on the interior worlds of women.
Technique & Style
Cassatt’s use of dry‑point, soft‑ground etching, and aquatint demonstrates a willingness to experiment with the possibilities of printmaking.
Cassatt’s use of dry‑point, soft‑ground etching, and aquatint demonstrates a willingness to experiment with the possibilities of printmaking. The soft‑ground method renders delicate textures, while dry‑point adds fine, velvety lines, and aquatint supplies subtle tonal washes. Together these processes create a layered surface that balances line and tone, aligning the work with the atmospheric qualities favored by Impressionist artists.
History & Provenance
An American expatriate who spent most of her professional life in France, Cassatt exhibited alongside the Impressionists and earned a reputation as a leading female figure within the group. *Woman Bathing* was produced during a period when she was actively exploring print media, contributing to her broader body of work that documented women’s private spheres.
Context
The print emerges from a late‑19th‑century artistic climate in which women artists were still a rarity. Cassatt’s choice to depict a solitary, nude woman in a domestic setting challenges conventional public representations of the female form, aligning her practice with a broader Impressionist interest in modern life and everyday moments.
Artist & collection
Artist
Mary Stevenson Cassatt (; May 22, 1844 – June 14, 1926) was an American painter and printmaker.
