“Child Drinking Milk” is an evocative work by the artist Mary Cassatt, created circa 1868. Utilizing the medium of pastel on paper, Cassatt’s skillful rendering falls within the artistic realms of Impressionism and Realism, hallmarks of her era. As a genre painting, this artwork is notable within Cassatt’s oeuvre for its intimate portrayal of daily life. Presently, this piece resides within the confinements of a private collection.
The artwork conveys a sense of quietude and domesticity, centering on a child engaged in the simple act of drinking milk. The child’s concentration is palpable, with their gaze directed intently downward towards the bowl cradled in their hands. The warmth of the pastel medium is apparent in the soft, textured strokes that define the child’s reddish hair and the subtle gradations of color on their skin and clothing.
Cassatt’s finesse with pastels imbues the scene with a luminous quality, harmonizing the figure with the muted, undefined background. The careful balance between detail and soft focus is reminiscent of Impressionist techniques, aiming to capture the fleeting moments of everyday life with a sense of immediacy and emotional resonance, while the clear and narrative subject matter grounds the work in the Realist tradition. The artist’s signature, “M.C.,” is discretely placed, ensuring that the viewer’s attention remains primarily on the subject of the piece.
