Afternoon Tea Party

"Afternoon Tea Party" (1890-1891) is a rare and technically masterful color print created by American Impressionist Mary Cassatt, executed in collaboration with the French printer Leroy. This complex work is rendered as a color aquatint with drypoint, utilizing impressions taken from three separate plates and further enhanced by the delicate application of brushwork and subtle gold paint on ivory laid paper. Cassatt's dedication to printmaking during this period was heavily influenced by her exposure to Japanese ukiyo-e prints, particularly their flattened perspective and emphasis on strong, decisive lines.

The piece captures a quintessential theme in Cassatt’s oeuvre: the private social rituals and interactions between women. Although she was an expatriate living primarily in France, this genre scene reflects her commitment to portraying the sophisticated domesticity associated with the upper middle class. The meticulous layering of the aquatint technique allowed Cassatt to achieve subtle variations in texture and shadow, defining the elegant silhouettes of the figures engaged in conversation.

As one of the most significant female artists of the late 19th century, Cassatt elevated the status of the print medium in the United States. This particular edition exemplifies the high quality she sought in her graphic work. Given the work's historical importance and the quality of extant prints, digitized versions of this masterpiece are often made available through public domain initiatives, allowing broader access to her influential contributions to American art history. This historically significant work is currently housed within the esteemed collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.