The artwork, “Sketch for ‘Francoise in a Round Backed Chair, Reading’ or ‘A Girl in Pink’,” is an oil on canvas creation by the artist Mary Cassatt, a noted figure within the Impressionist movement. It dates from circa 1908 and possesses the dimensions of 73.66 by 60.96 centimeters. Designed as a sketch and study, it falls under the genre of such preparatory works and is currently held in a private collection.
The artwork portrays a young girl seated, possibly engrossed in reading, as suggested by one of its alternative titles. The subject is rendered with loose, expressive brushstrokes typical of the Impressionist style, where form and detail are suggested rather than meticulously defined. The color palette relies on a blend of gentle pastels intermixed with areas of more vivid hues, capturing light and shadow in a manner that evokes the transient nature of the observed moment. The girl’s posture and absorbed demeanor suggest a quiet, private world, which Cassatt frequently celebrated in her depictions of women’s domestic lives. The unfinished quality of the work, with vast areas of the canvas left bare and the figure only partially outlined, emphasizes its role as a study, possibly in preparation for a more finalized composition. Despite its sketch-like state, the artwork bears the emotional immediacy and the tactile quality of Cassatt’s more completed pieces.
