Maternal Caress

"Maternal Caress," created by Mary Cassatt between 1890 and 1891, is a masterful example of late 19th-century graphic arts, representing the pinnacle of the artist's experimentation with color printing. Classified as a print, this piece was achieved using the demanding and complex combination of color drypoint, softground etching, and aquatint. Cassatt developed this intricate process to replicate the texture and nuanced color effects she admired in Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints, which were immensely popular during the period 1876 to 1900.

The subject matter, characteristic of Cassatt’s oeuvre, focuses on the intimate, private relationship between mother and child. Unlike the expansive scenes depicted by many of her Impressionist colleagues, Cassatt concentrated solely on domestic life, capturing the subtle gestures of affection and reliance exchanged within the family unit. As a leading American expatriate artist working primarily in France, Cassatt was instrumental in elevating the status of color prints within the Western art world, utilizing etching and aquatint to produce works of surprising delicacy and painterly quality.

The technical brilliance required for these specialized prints showcases Cassatt’s dedication to artistic innovation. The softground etching technique allowed her to achieve fine, varied textural lines, while the aquatint provided the broad washes of color and sophisticated shading necessary to give the figures volume and presence. This piece stands as a crucial work from her graphic period, illustrating the development of modern printmaking techniques. This impression is part of the distinguished collection of American art housed at the National Gallery of Art. Due to the historical importance of Cassatt’s graphic output, many of her prints from this era are recognized today as significant additions to the public domain.