Woman Bathing

Woman Bathing is a renowned print created by Mary Cassatt between 1890 and 1891. This exquisite piece showcases Cassatt's meticulous approach to printmaking, utilizing the sophisticated combination of color drypoint, softground etching, and aquatint on laid paper. This complex medium allowed the artist to transcend the limitations of traditional etching, achieving delicate textures and broad areas of subtle color crucial for conveying atmosphere and light. During this highly productive phase, Cassatt was deeply influenced by Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints, adapting their compositional flatness, asymmetrical balance, and sharp graphic lines to her own imagery.

Cassatt frequently focused on the private, domestic lives of women, elevating everyday activities like bathing or dressing into intimate, high-art subjects. This work exemplifies her commitment to depicting modern life from a distinctly female perspective, a central tenet she championed within the broader scope of American art. Executed during the vital period spanning 1876 to 1900, the print reflects a global engagement with graphic arts, synthesizing European modernism with Asian aesthetics. The technical precision required for the layered application of color across the etched plate established Cassatt as a preeminent master of color prints at the turn of the century. Her ability to handle multiple intaglio processes simultaneously allowed for the creation of rich, painterly effects often absent in simpler print forms.

In depicting such a quiet, unidealized moment, Cassatt provided a profound glimpse into daily ritual, further cementing her reputation as an innovator in both subject matter and technique. The successful integration of these specialized printmaking methods solidified the importance of the Woman Bathing series within the artist’s oeuvre. This exemplary print resides in the extensive collection of American prints housed at the National Gallery of Art, serving as a crucial reference point for understanding graphic production during the late nineteenth century.