The artwork “Gathering Fruit” by Mary Cassatt, created in 1893, belongs to the Japonism art movement, a genre painting that demonstrates the influence of Japanese art forms on Western artists of the time. This period was characterized by the incorporation of Japanese visual elements and techniques into European art, often seen in the simplified forms, bold outlines, and unconventional perspectives that distinguish Japonism.
In the artwork, two figures are depicted in the act of collecting fruit. A woman in a flowing white dress with a delicate floral pattern reaches out to pluck fruit from a dense, leafy plant. Beneath her, a child, unclothed, is also engrossed in the same task. The composition of the scene illustrates a serene bond between the subjects and nature, doing a simple yet intimate task. The colors are soft but defined, using flat areas of color with minimal shading, a characteristic reminiscent of Japanese woodblock prints. Furthermore, there is a clear delineation between the figures and the background, emphasizing the flatness of the plane, another hallmark of the Japonism style. The background is partitioned into different segments, contributing to an overall sense of harmony and balance within the piece. The delicate interplay of colors, lines, and forms culminates in a scene that feels both familiar in subject and novel in execution.
