Mary Cassatt: Intimate Moments in Printmaking

Mary Cassatt (1844–1926) occupies a singular place in the history of art as one of the most important American painters and printmakers associated with the Impressionist movement. Celebrated for her sensitive depictions of women and children, Cassatt brought a uniquely personal perspective to subjects often overlooked in 19th-century art, capturing domestic life with tenderness, dignity, and modern insight.

Cassatt’s Artistic Journey
Born in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, Cassatt studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts before moving to Paris, where she would spend much of her life. In France, she became closely associated with the Impressionists, especially Edgar Degas, who encouraged her interest in printmaking. While her paintings are widely known, Cassatt’s prints include etchings, aquatints, and lithographs that reveal her experimentation with technique and her mastery of line and form.

Image: Cassatt seated in a chair with an umbrella, 1913. Verso reads "The only photograph for which she ever posed," source: wikipedia.

Her printmaking was profoundly influenced by Japanese ukiyo-e prints, which she encountered at the landmark 1890 exhibition of Japanese art in Paris. This inspiration is clear in her compositions, flattened perspectives, and emphasis on intimate, everyday subjects.

The Lithograph: Sara Wearing Her Bonnet and Coat (c. 1904)
One of Cassatt’s notable lithographs, Sara Wearing Her Bonnet and Coat, exemplifies her ability to capture fleeting moments of childhood with elegance and simplicity. The subject, likely a young relative, appears absorbed in her own world, dressed warmly with bonnet and coat, the crisp lines and soft tonal contrasts imbuing the scene with both immediacy and timelessness.
Created around 1904, this lithograph highlights Cassatt’s continued innovation in her later career. Her prints are especially prized by collectors for their rarity, as editions were often small, and each impression reflects the hand of an artist deeply committed to her craft.

Featured Lot on Bidsquare
Today, collectors have the opportunity to acquire this exceptional work through Bidsquare:

Mary Cassatt, Sara Wearing Her Bonnet and Coat
Offered by Dane Fine Art, this lithograph dates to circa 1904 and embodies Cassatt’s enduring ability to blend intimacy with artistic sophistication. As with all of her graphic works, it holds a special place in the broader history of Impressionist printmaking.

Lot 860
Year: c 1904
Medium: Lithograph on laid MBM Ingres d'Arches
Condition: Excellent
Signature Details: Signed in the image in the lower right corner
Estimate: $8,000 - $11,000
Dane Fine Art
Affordable Art Sale: Day 2 of 2
September 7, 2025

Cassatt’s Lasting Legacy
Mary Cassatt’s prints continue to resonate because they elevate the everyday. By focusing on private moments of women and children, she offered a counterpoint to the grand narratives favored by many of her contemporaries. Her lithographs, like her paintings, remain touchstones for collectors and admirers who value both technical mastery and emotional depth.
With works such as Sara Wearing Her Bonnet and Coat, Cassatt reminds us that the quietest scenes can carry the most profound beauty.

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