Peasant Mother and Child

Peasant Mother and Child by Mary Cassatt, created in 1894, is a quintessential example of the American artist’s profound commitment to printmaking during the height of the Impressionist movement. This work exemplifies the challenging combination of color drypoint and aquatint, sophisticated intaglio processes that Cassatt mastered to achieve rich tonal variation and distinctive textural effects.

The mother and child relationship was the dominant, enduring theme throughout Cassatt's career. Executed within the highly productive period of 1876 to 1900, this composition diverges slightly from her typical depictions of middle and upper-class domesticity. By titling the work Peasant Mother and Child, Cassatt focuses on universal themes of maternal devotion and intimacy, situating the figures in a deliberately unadorned environment. The formal structure of the piece shows the profound influence of Japanese ukiyo-e prints, which Cassatt admired for their dynamic use of line, flat planes of color, and unique cropping.

Cassatt utilized the drypoint process to etch the defining outlines and details directly into the copper plate, producing a rich, velvety burr characteristic of the technique. She then employed aquatint to achieve delicate gradations of color and shadow, creating subtle atmospheric depth uncommon in traditional etchings of the era. This technical complexity underscores the American artist’s innovation in graphic media, placing her among the foremost printmakers of her generation.

This powerful and sensitive depiction is held in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art. As a widely recognized masterwork, high-quality images of Peasant Mother and Child are frequently available through public domain resources, ensuring continued access to one of the most significant late 19th-century examples of American graphic prints.