Mother's Kiss

"Mother's Kiss" is an intimate, late-nineteenth-century print created by American artist Mary Cassatt between 1890 and 1891. This piece exemplifies Cassatt's sophisticated approach to graphic arts, utilizing a complex combination of color drypoint, softground etching, and aquatint applied to laid paper. This technical fusion allowed Cassatt to achieve nuanced textures and soft transitions of color, hallmarks of her mature style developed during her time among the Impressionists in France. The mastery of multiple intaglio methods demonstrates Cassatt's commitment to reviving and advancing the status of fine art prints during this period.

Although Cassatt spent most of her career abroad, her contributions remain central to American art of the 1876 to 1900 period. This work fits squarely within her most celebrated theme: the tender relationship between mother and child. Unlike traditional genre scenes, Cassatt infused her depictions with psychological depth, focusing on fleeting moments of domestic affection and universal emotional connection. The gentle curves and enclosed composition of Mother's Kiss underscore the sense of warmth and protection inherent in the subject, emphasizing the close physical bond.

The subtle use of color, primarily applied through the aquatint technique, gives the print a painterly quality while retaining the expressive line work characteristic of drypoint. This careful execution made Cassatt a primary figure in the international resurgence of color printmaking in the 1890s. Her dedication to depicting modern life, particularly focusing on the private sphere of women and children, defined her unique contribution to the avant-garde. As a significant example of the artist's graphic output, this piece is part of the extensive collection of American prints housed at the National Gallery of Art.