The Fitting

The Fitting, executed by Mary Cassatt American, 1844-1926 between 1890 and 1891, is a masterful example of the artist's dedication to innovative printmaking. The work is classified as a print and was created using the challenging technique of color aquatint combined with drypoint on off-white wove paper, allowing Cassatt to achieve nuanced tonal gradations and complex textures typically associated with painting or pastel. This specialized medium underscores her commitment to elevating graphic arts to the stature of other major art forms during the late nineteenth century.

Cassatt, a key figure in the Impressionist movement, albeit working primarily from France, often turned her gaze toward intimate scenes of contemporary domestic life. In this piece, she explores the relationship between women and modern fashion, focusing on a figure undergoing a dress fitting. The subtle, etched lines created through the drypoint technique provide structural definition to the composition, complementing the broad, expressive color fields produced by the aquatint. This effective blending of techniques reflects the influence of Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints, evident in the compressed perspective and strong outlines, which were popular inspirations for American prints of the era.

Created during a pivotal moment in the artist’s career, this piece marks Cassatt’s dedicated experimentation with color printing, resulting in works that rivaled her pastels in complexity and richness. The period 1890-1891 was vital for establishing the modernity of fine art printing in the United States and Europe. Today, this distinguished impressionist print, often considered to be in the public domain for scholarly reference and study, is held in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, serving as a crucial record of Cassatt's printmaking achievements.