The Letter

The Letter is a seminal print created by Mary Cassatt between 1890 and 1891, solidifying her reputation as a master printmaker. This highly sophisticated American work utilizes a complex and innovative combination of color drypoint, softground etching, and aquatint techniques, showcasing Cassatt’s dedication to pushing the boundaries of the medium during the late 19th century. As a key figure associated with Impressionism, Cassatt was instrumental in elevating color prints from a reproductive medium to an esteemed fine art form.

Executed during the significant artistic period from 1876 to 1900, the work reflects the profound global influence of Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints, known as Japonisme. Cassatt adopted the Japanese aesthetic, employing strong, dark contours, flattened perspective, and carefully composed asymmetrical scenes. This allowed her to move beyond the spontaneous brushwork of her Impressionist peers toward a style based on line and flat color planes.

Instead of focusing on public Parisian life, Cassatt specialized in intimate scenes of women engaged in private domestic activities. The Letter typically depicts a woman handling correspondence, capturing a moment of quiet contemplation or communication that underscores the social constraints and private duties often assigned to women during the era. The challenging technique, requiring the precise registration of multiple plates for each color, allowed Cassatt to achieve rich, delicate color harmonies and tonal subtleties.

This masterpiece stands as a powerful example of Cassatt’s printmaking achievements. The limited edition nature of these complex prints has cemented their historical and monetary value. This significant piece of American modern art is held in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. Because of its historical importance and the cultural openness of the institution, high-resolution scans of the work often fall into the public domain, ensuring students and researchers worldwide have access to study these influential prints.