The Coiffure

The Coiffure by Mary Cassatt is a seminal drawing completed in 1891. Executed primarily using black crayon and graphite on wove paper, this work exemplifies Cassatt’s technical mastery and sensitive draftsmanship. Created during the height of the American involvement in Impressionism, this piece falls squarely within the artistic period spanning 1876 to 1900, reflecting the artist’s commitment to capturing modern life and domestic rituals.

Cassatt often utilized monochromatic drawing techniques to quickly capture structure and form, contrasting sharply with the vibrant palette of her well-known paintings and color prints. In this specific piece, the heavy application of black crayon provides density and shadow, while the fine lines of graphite on the textural wove paper define contours with delicacy and precision. Although the composition is simplified, the subject matter implied by the title, The Coiffure, places the viewer into a typical scene from the private lives of women—the ritual of dressing or hair styling—a central and defining theme in Cassatt’s oeuvre.

Cassatt's enduring interest in depicting the quiet, often overlooked routines of middle-class women defined her output in the late nineteenth century. The artist focused on intimate interiors and familial relationships, steering away from historical or mythological narratives dominant in academic art. As a crucial figure in the American expatriate art scene, her contribution to modern art remains significant. This vital historical drawing is maintained and preserved by the National Gallery of Art. While the original resides in the museum collection, preparatory studies related to Cassatt’s major series are sometimes found in the public domain, allowing scholars wider access to study her methodology and progression toward finished works, including her famous suite of color etching and aquatint prints.