“The Kiss,” created by Mary Cassatt between 1890 and 1891, is a genre painting that reflects influences of Impressionism and Japonism, utilizing the techniques of aquatint and drypoint. This exquisite artwork is housed in the Art Institute of Chicago, located in Chicago, IL, US.
The artwork captures an intimate and tender moment between a mother and child. The composition is rendered with a delicate touch, characteristic of Cassatt’s style, and encapsulates themes of maternal affection and domestic life that often permeated her oeuvre. The mother is portrayed with her back to the viewer, as she lovingly presses her lips against the child’s cheek. The child, held securely in the mother’s arms, has a relaxed posture that conveys a sense of comfort and trust in the maternal embrace.
Cassatt’s use of aquatint and drypoint contributes to the soft gradients and gentle lines that define the figures and their attire. The influence of Japanese woodblock prints is evident in the stylized patterns of the mother’s garment, the flat areas of color, and the composition’s simplicity. This intersection of Western and Eastern artistic elements is illustrative of the Japonisme movement, which significantly impacted many Impressionist artists of the time.
Overall, “The Kiss” is a poignant scene that reflects the universality of motherly love and the everyday beauty found in familial relationships, depicted with the nuanced hand of an artist deeply engaged with the Impressionistic ideals and inspired by the artistry of a culture far from her own.
