The Bath

"The Bath," created by Mary Cassatt between 1890 and 1891, is a definitive example of American Impressionism translated through complex graphic techniques. This print classification utilizes a sophisticated combination of artistic processes: color drypoint, softground etching, and aquatint applied to laid paper. Cassatt, who was deeply associated with the French Impressionists while remaining a crucial figure in American art, developed her most innovative and influential body of work in color prints during this era. The demanding nature of the chosen medium allowed Cassatt to achieve an unusual flatness of color and rich texture, successfully merging the graphic quality of line with the tonal variety of paint.

The subject matter, the intimate, everyday ritual of a mother attending to a child, is central to Cassatt’s oeuvre. Her focus on domesticity and the private world of women is rendered here with dignity and observational clarity. The composition is highly structured, strongly reflecting the contemporary interest in Japanese woodblock prints (ukiyo-e), known as Japonisme. This influence is evident in the elevated, oblique viewing angle, the intentionally flattened spatial recession, and the decorative patterns used in the wallpaper and towel, which move the piece away from traditional European naturalism.

This intense period of graphic exploration, dating from approximately 1876 to 1900, established Cassatt as a master printmaker. Her ability to manipulate the etching plate to produce variations in color and texture remains unparalleled in the history of modern graphic arts. As a cornerstone piece representing the artist’s mature technique, this impression of The Bath is held in the distinguished collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. The enduring importance of works like this ensures their continued study, and increasingly, high-resolution reproductions of such historic art are made available for wider access through public domain initiatives.