Mother and Child: Mary Cassatt Impressionist Portrait Style

Trained on 18 impressionist portraits by the American artist Mary Stevenson Cassatt (May 22, 1844–June 14, 1926). To see her works, please go to

• marycassatt.org

• wikiart.org/en/mary-cassatt

• metmuseum.org/TOAH/HD/cast/hd_cast.htm

• ago.ca/exhibitions/cassatt-mcnicoll-impressionists-between-worlds

• thegreatcat.org/the-cat-in-art-and-photos-2/cats-in-19th-century-art/mary-cassatt-1844-1926-american

• ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/cassatt

The LoRA is pretty strong, but should be quite flexible. If you have problem with it, try lowering the weight. Alternatively, you can try the more lightly trained Epoch 13: tensor.art/models/831098110739647047/Mary-Cassatt-V1-CapD6A3Co5-2025-02-17-04:32:33-Ep-13

I've also made a companion LoRA: Motherhood in Pastel: Mary Cassatt Soft Pastel on Cardboard/Chalk Impressionist Portrait Style.

I first become more aware of this artist when I went to the Cassatt – McNicoll: Impressionists Between Worlds (May 31, 2023–September 4, 2023) exhibit at the Art Gallery of Ontario. So if you like this LoRA, you can also check out this LoRA: Canadian Feminine Mystique: Helen McNicholl Impressionist Painting Style.

From ChatGPT:

self-portrait

Mary Cassatt (1844–1926) – The Impressionist Painter of Motherhood & Modern Women

Mary Stevenson Cassatt (May 22, 1844–June 14, 1926) was an American painter and printmaker known for her tender depictions of mothers and children, intimate domestic scenes, and strong, independent women. She was one of the few female artists associated with the French Impressionist movement, alongside Edgar Degas, who became her mentor. Cassatt’s work was groundbreaking for its focus on women’s private lives and its role in shaping modern art in America.

1. Early Life & Education

• Born in Allegheny, Pennsylvania (now part of Pittsburgh), USA, in 1844.

• Came from a wealthy family, allowing her to travel and study art in Europe.

• Studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, but left due to its sexist environment, moving to Paris in 1866 to study art independently.

2. Impressionist Influence & Career in France

🔹 Cassatt settled in Paris, where she studied Old Masters and honed her skill in portraiture and everyday life scenes.
🔹 She became one of the few women accepted into the French Impressionist circle, joining artists like Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Berthe Morisot.
🔹 Edgar Degas admired her work and invited her to exhibit with the Impressionists in 1879—she was one of the only American members of the group.
🔹 Like other Impressionists, she experimented with loose brushwork, soft colors, and capturing light, but her focus remained on intimate moments, particularly of women and children.

3. Artistic Style & Themes

🎨 Tender, everyday moments → Cassatt’s paintings often depict mothers with their children, women reading, or sewing.
🎨 Strong use of color & light → Soft pastels, delicate yet confident brushstrokes, and warm, natural lighting.
🎨 Inspired by Japanese prints → Influenced by Japonisme, her later works feature bold outlines, asymmetry, and flat planes of color.
🎨 Depicting the modern woman → Unlike many male artists who painted women as objects of beauty, Cassatt portrayed them as independent, intelligent, and active participants in their world.

4. Notable Works

✅ The Child's Bath (1893) – One of her most famous works, showing a mother lovingly bathing her child.

✅ Young Mother Sewing (1900) – A quiet yet powerful depiction of motherhood.

✅ Woman with a Pearl Necklace in a Loge (1879) – A woman enjoying an evening at the opera, showing female autonomy and leisure.

✅ The Boating Party (1893–94) – A strikingly bold composition, influenced by Japanese woodblock prints.

5. Legacy & Influence

💡 One of the first American artists to embrace Impressionism, paving the way for modern art in the U.S.
💡 Champion of female artists → Encouraged wealthy American collectors to support women in art.
💡 Shaped American art collections → Helped introduce Impressionist art to the U.S.
💡 A feminist icon → Her work focused on the inner lives of women, challenging traditional portrayals of femininity.

6. Later Life & Death

• Cassatt continued painting until her eyesight deteriorated in the early 1900s.

• She became increasingly blind due to cataracts and stopped painting in 1914.

• She died in 1926 at the age of 82 in France, leaving behind a legacy as one of the greatest female artists of all time.

7. Where to See Her Work Today

🏛️ The Art Institute of Chicago – The Child’s Bath
🏛️ The National Gallery of Art (Washington, D.C.)
🏛️ The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York)
🏛️ Musée d’Orsay (Paris)

Final Thoughts

Mary Cassatt was more than just an Impressionist—she was a revolutionary artist who changed the way women were depicted in art. Her work continues to inspire modern feminist artists and anyone who loves the quiet beauty of everyday life.