The Bath

The Bath by Mary Cassatt, executed between 1890 and 1891, is a masterful example of late Impressionist printmaking, demonstrating the artist’s ambition to elevate the medium of color prints. This exceptional work combines multiple intaglio techniques, specifically color drypoint, softground etching, and aquatint, applied expertly to laid paper. Cassatt produced this piece during a critical moment in her career, having recently encountered major exhibitions of Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints, which highly influenced American and European art circles in the period spanning 1876 to 1900.

This piece exemplifies Cassatt’s signature subject matter: the intimate domestic rituals of women and children, a subject she explored with profound dignity and honesty. The composition, depicting a woman bathing a child, shifts the focus from the grand narratives of academic painting to the tender, private moments of everyday life. Unlike many of her contemporaries, the artist intentionally restricted her viewpoints to private interiors, focusing on universal gestures and the bonds between mother and child.

Cassatt’s technical achievement lies in the complex and delicate registration required to align the multiple plates used for the color drypoint and aquatint processes. The result is a sophisticated interplay of fine lines and large, subtly textured color fields, borrowing the flattened perspective and decorative patterns common in Japanese art. This compositional strategy highlights her sophisticated understanding of two-dimensional design.

Classified as a significant example of American graphic arts from the end of the century, the work confirms Cassatt's technical prowess and her innovative approach to creating multi-plate color prints. This important piece is held within the collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. As a foundational work from the 1876 to 1900 era, high-resolution images of the artwork are often available through public domain initiatives, ensuring continued scholarly access to this major accomplishment by Mary Cassatt.