Margot in a Floppy Bonnet Leaning against a Chair

"Margot in a Floppy Bonnet Leaning against a Chair," created by Mary Cassatt in 1902, is an intimate example of the artist's sophisticated command of the drypoint technique. This classification of print involves using a sharp point to incise lines directly into a copper plate. Unlike etching, which uses acid, drypoint relies on the resulting raised ridge of metal, or burr, which catches the ink during printing. This unique process yields the characteristic soft, velvety lines and subtle tonal variation seen in the final impression, perfectly complementing the work's delicate subject matter.

The subject is likely Margot, a child model who frequently appears in Cassatt’s compositions throughout the early 1900s. The artist, an American expatriate who found her artistic home among the French Impressionists, dedicated much of her career to exploring domestic themes, especially the nuanced relationship between women and children. Executed early in the 1901 to 1925 period, the piece demonstrates Cassatt’s focus on capturing the sitter in a moment of candid introspection. Margot’s body language, leaning slightly against the chair back, conveys a casual grace, while the large, floppy bonnet frames her face, drawing the viewer’s attention to her gaze.

Although renowned for her pastels and oil paintings, Cassatt considered her large output of prints essential to her artistic identity, often meticulously working through multiple states of a single image. This dedication cemented her position as a leading figure in American graphic arts during the transitional early 20th century. The resulting piece is valued not only for its technical finesse as a drypoint, but also for its sensitive depiction of childhood portraiture. This excellent example of Cassatt’s printmaking expertise is preserved in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.