Repose

Repose by Mary Cassatt American, 1844-1926, is a sophisticated example of late nineteenth-century printmaking, executed in 1890. This classification of the work as a print specifies the medium: a delicate etching rendered on ivory laid paper. The technical complexity of etching required precise planning and skill, demonstrating the artist's commitment to mastering graphic arts during a period heavily influenced by Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints. Unlike the immediate spontaneity of Impressionist painting, this work relies on incised lines to create controlled texture and tonal variation.

The year 1890 marked a fertile period for Cassatt’s artistic production, particularly in her exploration of graphic media. As an American artist who lived and worked primarily in Paris, she was instrumental in integrating contemporary French aesthetic sensibilities into the art landscape of the United States. Cassatt utilized prints not merely as preparatory studies but as complete works of art, embracing the reproductive medium as an expressive form well-suited to capturing intimate domesticity. The subject matter centers on the private spheres of women, offering a moment of quietude and psychological depth suggested by the title, Repose.

Cassatt’s stylistic approach subtly blends the flattened perspective often seen in Japanese prints with the traditional rigor of Western figurative drawing. This piece remains a critical contribution to the history of printmaking and the study of female modernity in art. Today, images of important historical prints such as this are frequently made available through public domain initiatives, ensuring widespread access to the masterworks held in major institutions. This key work by the American master is preserved within the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.