The Letter

The Letter by Mary Cassatt, created between 1890 and 1891, is a masterful example of the artist’s prolific printmaking career during the late 19th century. This American work, classified as a print, utilizes the complex and highly nuanced medium of color softground etching, drypoint, and aquatint on laid paper. This fusion of techniques allowed Cassatt to achieve remarkable tonal subtlety and richly textured surfaces, reminiscent of Japanese woodblock prints which greatly influenced her practice during this period (1876 to 1900).

Cassatt, an expatriate American artist working primarily in France, focused heavily on the private, domestic lives of women. The Letter depicts a woman seated at a desk, absorbed in the act of reading or perhaps writing correspondence. The subject matter reflects the artist’s interest in capturing intimate, unposed moments of middle-class female experience, a common theme across her output. The use of vibrant color, achieved through the intricate aquatint process, distinguishes this piece within her graphic output, showcasing her move away from strictly Impressionist techniques toward more defined, decorative compositions.

This powerful visual study demonstrates Cassatt’s technical virtuosity in graphic arts, positioning her as one of the most significant printmakers of her era. The piece is part of the extensive collections of the National Gallery of Art, where it serves as a crucial reference point for understanding the history of American art and the development of modern prints. As a recognized work of artistic merit, high-resolution prints of this piece often enter the public domain, making Cassatt's legacy accessible to a global audience.