The artwork titled “Portrait of Miss Cassatt, holding the cards” is an oil on canvas painting by artist Mary Cassatt, dated circa 1876. Measuring 74 x 60 cm, this portrait exemplifies the Impressionist art movement. The genre of the artwork is portraiture, which corresponds with the era’s fascination with capturing the essence of the individual subject.
The artwork portrays a seated woman, presumably Miss Cassatt, engaged in the act of holding cards. Her gaze is diverted slightly off-canvas, giving her an air of distraction or deep contemplation. The brushwork is loose and expressive, a quintessential feature of Impressionism, capturing the interplay of light and shadow with rapid strokes and a vivid palette. The woman’s attire suggests a sense of casual elegance, indicative of the period’s fashion. Soft, diffused light illuminates her features and the cards in her hands, enhancing the sense of immediacy and the fleeting moment that Impressionist artists often sought to convey. The background appears intentionally vague and nondescript, serving to draw attention to the subject and her immediate activity. Through the use of color, texture, and composition, Cassatt successfully portrays a moment in the life of Miss Cassatt, imbuing it with both realism and a sense of the personal.
