The artwork “Young Women Picking Fruit” is an oil on canvas painting by the American artist Mary Cassatt, dating from approximately 1891 to 1892. It exemplifies the Impressionist movement and falls within the genre of a portrait, depicting women in a natural setting engaged in the activity of fruit picking. The artwork measures 132 by 91.5 centimeters and is housed at the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
In the artwork, two women are shown amidst a verdant backdrop rich with foliage. The central figure stands, reaching upwards towards an unseen fruit tree with her left hand outstretched, fingers gently clasping a piece of fruit. Her gaze is directed upwards beyond the scope of the canvas as if to carefully select her target. This figure’s dress is a diaphanous white fabric with delicate ruffles, which softly drapes her form and catches the light, indicative of Cassatt’s attention to the interplay between light and texture.
The second figure sits beside her, rendered in profile view, wearing a dress with a blue floral pattern complemented by a lace-fringed white collar and cuffs. This seated woman dons a hat adorned with ribbons that frame her face, and she seems to be in the act of eating, with one hand near her mouth and the other resting on her lap, holding a piece of fruit. The expressions and demeanor of the women exude a sense of calm attentiveness to their task.
The composition is rich with the dappled sunlight typical of Impressionist works, and the brushstrokes convey the vibrancy of an outdoor setting. Cassatt’s work often focused on the social and private lives of women, and this painting is a testament to her ability to capture serene moments infused with natural beauty and the simplicity of everyday life.
