The Coiffure, created by Mary Cassatt between 1890 and 1891, is a masterful example of late 19th-century American printmaking, defining a moment of technical innovation within the graphic arts. This particular piece is distinguished by its complex and ambitious combination of color drypoint, softground etching, and aquatint, executed on laid paper. Cassatt, an essential figure within the international Impressionist circle, embraced printmaking during the period of 1876 to 1900, finding deep inspiration in Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints, which heavily influenced her compositions and graphic approach.
The subject matter, typical of Cassatt’s output during this decade, centers on women engaged in intimate, everyday activities, here captured in the act of arranging her hair. Unlike the traditional voyeurism often found in previous European depictions of the female toilette, Cassatt presents the woman with dignity, naturalism, and a focus on internalized experience. The bold, simplified contours, combined with the flat planes of subtle color, demonstrate the artist’s commitment to integrating modern design principles into Western figurative art. These graphic innovations solidified her reputation as a leading American artist working abroad, pushing the boundaries of the fine art prints available at the time.
The technical complexity highlights the effort required to create this sophisticated image. The use of softground etching and aquatint allowed Cassatt to achieve subtle gradations of tone and color that elevate this piece beyond simple line work, while the delicate, sharp lines created by the drypoint technique provide textural richness, contrasting effectively with the broad areas of color wash. This extraordinary print, The Coiffure, is held in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art. As a historically significant work of graphic art from the American tradition, the piece often finds itself among the high-quality fine art prints available today through public domain museum collections.
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