Waiting

"Waiting," created by Mary Cassatt in 1879, is an exceptional example of the graphic arts produced by the American artist during the late nineteenth century. Classified as a Print, the work demonstrates Cassatt’s masterful engagement with complex intaglio processes, specifically aquatint and softground etching. This technical approach was characteristic of the period, spanning roughly 1876 to 1900, during which Cassatt dedicated significant energy to printmaking, often collaborating with Edgar Degas to push the boundaries of the medium and mimic the subtle textures and light effects traditionally reserved for painting.

Although an American, Cassatt spent much of her professional career in Paris, aligning closely with the French Impressionists. The choice of medium in this piece is integral to its aesthetic effect; aquatint allowed the artist to create varied tonal washes, bringing a sense of depth and atmosphere to the composition. Softground etching, meanwhile, enabled her to capture the immediacy of sketches and the casual, intimate posture typical of figures caught in moments of contemplation or domestic routine.

This work embodies Cassatt’s signature subject matter—private, unassuming portrayals of women in the modern world. Unlike conventional portraiture, these genre scenes focus on everyday emotional states, lending profound psychological depth to the seemingly simple act suggested by the title Waiting. The resulting prints, such as this piece, showcase Cassatt’s pioneering ability to achieve painterly results using purely reproductive media. The work is held in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C., representing a crucial output from the late 1870s when Cassatt was rapidly developing her mature graphic style.