The artwork “Portrait of Madame X Dressed for the Matinee” by Mary Cassatt, created in 1878, is a prime example of the Realism art movement. It is rendered in oil on canvas and belongs to the genre of portraiture. This painting is currently housed at the North Carolina Museum of Art (NCMA) in Raleigh, NC, United States.
The artwork presents a woman in a three-quarter view, turning slightly to engage with the viewer. Her attire suggests a sense of sophistication associated with the time period’s matinee dress code. She wears a dark outfit complemented by a white lace collar and a small bow tie, indicative of the era’s fashion sensibilities. The woman also dons a broad-brimmed hat adorned with light-colored fabric that softens her silhouette against a pale, minimally detailed background.
The figure’s expression is demure yet self-assured, with a faint hint of a smile gracing her lips. Her cheeks have a natural, rosy hue, which lends a sense of liveliness to her visage. The brushwork is loose and fluid, capturing the light and shadows in a way that adds depth to the subject’s features.
The presence of a sofa with a red-toned upholstery adds a domestic touch to the scene, while the sharp contrast between the sitter’s dark clothing and the sofa’s warmer tones draws the eye to the central figure. Mary Cassatt’s signature is visibly inscribed on the bottom right of the canvas, grounding the artwork with the artist’s personal mark. Overall, the portrait exudes an air of quiet elegance and serves as a testament to Cassatt’s skill in depicting the refined grace of her contemporaries.
