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Mary
Cassatt (1845-1926) was born in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania. As a youngster, Cassatt was very
interested in art - a passion which according to
some, was not fully encouraged by her father, a
banker. He did however support his daughter in
her wishes to first study at the Pennsylvania
Academy of the Fine Arts and then travel
extensively in Europe when she was in her
early 20s.
At the age of 32, Cassatt was thrilled to meet
Edgar Degas who was evidently just as taken
with her and her work. He was so impressed,
that he invited the artist to exhibit with the
Impressionists, which she did from 1879-1881 and
again in 1886.
Her style was unique in that her subject matter
was based on the lives of women in and
around Paris. She rarely used models, instead
choosing to paint those people who were close
to her. In 1880 she began what would become
her own personal theme - mothers or nurses
tending to children.
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