After the Bath

"After the Bath," created by American artist Mary Cassatt between 1890 and 1891, is a significant example of her mastery of color printmaking, a medium she intensively explored late in her career. This impressive work utilizes complex intaglio techniques, combining color aquatint and drypoint, pulled from two separate plates onto ivory laid paper. The technical complexity of the piece necessitated the collaboration of a skilled printer; this specific impression was executed by Leroy, a French artisan active during the period, helping Cassatt realize the subtle color gradations and textural richness of her design.

Cassatt, an American expatriate working primarily in Paris, applied the structural and compositional lessons learned from Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints to Western etching methods. This influence is evident in the flattened perspective, the strong linearity created by the drypoint elements, and the bold, unmodulated areas of color. Like many of Cassatt's celebrated images, the subject captures an intimate, non-sentimental domestic moment involving a mother and child. The focus is not on narrative, but on form and the powerful connection revealed in the simple act of everyday caregiving.

This piece is considered a cornerstone of the artist's graphic output, demonstrating her pivotal role in modern print history and linking the Impressionist movements of Europe with artistic trends in the United States. The work, which remains a key reference for scholars of fin-de-siècle art, is housed in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. As this influential image is frequently referenced through the public domain, it continues to highlight Cassatt's technical innovations and her sophisticated exploration of the female experience.