Common Core State Standard: ELA: Literacy: R.L. 3.1, 3.4, R.L. 4.1, 4.4, R.L. 5.1, 5.4, R.L. 6.1, 6.4
Mary Cassatt
Mary Cassatt grew up in a wealthy American family and lived in
a lot of different places—France, Germany, the United States—
during her childhood. She knew from a young age that she
wanted to be an artist, and from 1861-65, she studied art at
the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia. In 1865,
Cassatt moved to Paris, France, which was the center of the art
world at the time. She was inspired by the work of the French
Impressionists; but instead of painting beautiful landscapes,
Cassatt focused on the domestic and social lives of women. This
was a world she knew and understood in a way that was different from her male counterparts. For example, she liked to paint
women and children playing, bathing, sewing or taking part in
other home-life activities. She also painted social activities such
as women enjoying the theater, opera or a day at sea.
Article written by the Lyman Allyn Art Museum
Did you know?
Even though she lived in France, Mary Cassatt helped make
Impressionism popular in the United States. She encouraged
many wealthy Americans to purchase Impressionist artwork
for their collections and for museums.
The Loge 1878-1880
Image from: The National Gallery of Art
Meet the Artist
• Mary Cassatt was born on May 22, 1844
in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania; she died in
1926.
• Mary lived in Allegheny City and Paris.
• She was an Impressionist painter.
Little Girl in a Blue Armchair 1878
Image from: The National Gallery of Art