After-Dinner Coffee (verso)

After-Dinner Coffee (verso) by Mary Cassatt is a significant example of the artist’s mastery of printmaking, executed sometime between 1884 and 1894. This highly refined technique utilizes transferred soft (etching) ground, a challenging process that allows for nuanced textural effects often mimicking the appearance of pencil or crayon drawing. The classification as a print indicates Cassatt’s dedicated experimentation with graphic media during this period, moving beyond traditional painting to explore line, tone, and composition through multiple editions.

As a leading figure in American Impressionism, Cassatt frequently depicted intimate scenes of contemporary life, focusing particularly on women in domestic and social settings. Although this specific work is labeled ‘verso,’ suggesting an unfinished state or an exploratory study related to other projects, it embodies the elegance and sensitive observation characteristic of the artist's style. Cassatt often looked to Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints for inspiration, translating their flattened space and strong contours into her own sophisticated etchings. Her commitment to graphic arts elevated the status of prints within the United States art world during the late 19th century.

The elongated date range (1884-1894) suggests that the piece was part of an extended creative investigation by Cassatt into the possibilities of etching, aligning with her most productive decade in graphic arts. Today, major institutional collections frequently include these key prints, and many of the artist’s works have entered the public domain, ensuring widespread access to her legacy. This important print is housed in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, preserving its material history as a core example of American printmaking.