In the Omnibus [verso]

In the Omnibus [verso] by Mary Cassatt is a sophisticated example of printmaking and drawing from the late nineteenth century. Dating to 1891, the piece utilizes transferred softground on wove paper, a demanding technique that allowed Cassatt to achieve the delicate lines and textures often associated with traditional drawing media like crayon or charcoal. The use of the verso (the reverse side) suggests the rigorous experimentation that defined the artist’s graphic output during this prolific decade.

As a prominent American artist working during the period 1876 to 1900, Cassatt was deeply involved with the Parisian avant-garde, translating its modern sensibilities into her own distinct visual language. She was especially known for depicting the domestic and public lives of middle-class women, often capturing candid, unposed interactions in settings such as theaters, homes, or, as the title implies, public transportation. This study, characteristic of Cassatt’s focus on women in modern life, captures an intimate moment within a public setting, a recurrent theme in her work.

The technique of softground etching, in which a drawing is pressed through a thin paper overlay into a soft etching ground, results in lines that are characteristically irregular and granular. This method was crucial for Cassatt as she explored the boundary between traditional drawing and reproducible graphic arts. Her innovative approach to printmaking, evident in this refined sheet, demonstrates her mastery in translating painterly observations into the graphic medium.

Cassatt’s commitment elevated prints to a major artistic form, influencing subsequent generations of artists. This significant work is classified as a drawing and remains an important part of the comprehensive collection housed at the National Gallery of Art.