Tea

"Tea" is an intimate drypoint print created by Mary Cassatt in 1890. This American artist, celebrated for her depictions of domestic life and her integral role in the French Impressionist movement, frequently utilized printmaking techniques to explore different textural and compositional approaches. The work is executed as a drypoint on laid paper, a demanding intaglio method where the image is incised directly into a copper plate using a sharp point. This process raises a burr of metal that captures the ink during printing, resulting in the soft, rich, and velvety lines characteristic of the technique.

The subject matter exemplifies Cassatt’s primary focus on the private rituals and relationships of modern women. The scene likely captures a moment of quiet contemplation or polite social interaction centered around the popular domestic ceremony of having tea, a recurring motif in the artist's oeuvre. The composition reflects the aesthetic currents popular during the period of 1876 to 1900, particularly the influence of Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints, which informed Cassatt’s use of unconventional cropping and strong, asymmetrical design.

The drypoint technique allowed Cassatt to achieve a sketch-like immediacy, linking this highly refined print directly to the spontaneity valued by the Impressionist circle she moved within. Cassatt produced a significant corpus of works in graphic media, cementing her place as one of the most important American artists working abroad at the time. This focus on domestic interiors and the nuanced psychological portrayal of the sitter solidifies her reputation as a master of the genre.

This important example of Cassatt’s printmaking skill is held in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art. Because of its cultural significance and age, this work is widely referenced and studied among high-quality prints available through public domain initiatives.