Maternal Caress

Maternal Caress is a celebrated print created by Mary Cassatt between 1890 and 1891, positioning her as one of the foremost American artists working in Paris during the late 19th century. This piece showcases Cassatt’s sophisticated mastery of complex intaglio techniques, combining color drypoint, softground etching, and aquatint meticulously applied to wove paper. This ambitious approach to printmaking allowed the artist to achieve both the textural delicacy of etching and the rich tonal gradations typically associated with painting.

Executed during a period of profound technical experimentation for the artist, this work demonstrates Cassatt's deep engagement with Japanese ukiyo-e prints, which influenced her use of defined lines, flattened perspective, and strong color blocking. The subject matter reflects the theme central to Cassatt's career: the intimate and unvarnished bond between mother and child. The composition emphasizes tenderness and quiet contemplation, rendering the domestic sphere with dignity and psychological depth. This focus on private life reflected a modern sensibility that characterized much of the art created between 1876 to 1900.

Cassatt treated the medium of printmaking not as a reproductive tool but as an essential means of artistic expression. The careful definition of the figures established through drypoint contrasts harmoniously with the subtle, wash-like effects of the aquatint, creating an atmospheric quality unique to her color prints. This technical achievement solidifies her legacy within modern graphic arts. As a significant example of American Impressionism and late 19th-century innovation in color printing, this piece is held in the comprehensive collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.