Image Gallery
Reading Le Figaro by Cassatt
An 1878 oil on canvas, Reading Le Figaro, by Mary Cassatt (1844-1926), the American impressionist painter. The choice of newspaper, one usually read by men in this period, indicates the artists' intention to show the model, her mother, as someone who was not a traditional female figure but someone with advanced views on what women should concern themselves with. The mirror on the right is a nod to traditional portraitists who frequently used the device to show another side of the subject, but here Cassatt chooses not to do that and to only show the reflection of the newspaper, emphasising its importance in revealing her mother's character. (Private Collection)
Bibliography
- Bouruet-Aubertot, Veronique. The Complete Book of Impressionism . Ji Mu Wen Hua, 2020.
- Howard, Michael. Encyclopedia of Impressionism. Thunder Bay Pr, 1997.
- Rubin, James H & Lablanche, Dominique & Manss, Thomas. Impressionism A&I . Phaidon Press, 1999.
- Thomson, Belinda. Impressionism. Thames & Hudson, 2022.