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American painter, Mary Stevenson Cassatt or Mary Cassatt (1844-1926) was a well-known ‘Impressionist,’ who left her indelible mark on the art scene, in spite of discouragement from her very affluent family of American stockbrokers. Determined Mary however, not only infused life to the ‘Contemporary Art’ through her originative contributions, but she likewise monetarily supported the ‘Impressionist Movement.’ Cassatt’s choice of subjects, ofttimes set in pencil sketches, revolved largely around mother and child actions and at times touched other domestic scenes. In 1893, Cassatt developed her magnum opus “The Child’s Bath” or “The Bath,” which beautifully encapsulates the essence of motherhood. Mary’s “The Bath” is a work of oil on canvas, 39.5″ X 26″ in dimensions, featuring a mother giving bath to her child in the indoors, whereby the two figures cover closely two-third of the canvas. This masterwork carries a strong influence of the Japanese art and interiors, portrayed through the block patterns on the carpet, the design of the wallpaper behind, the attire of the mother, and the white jug of water placed in front. The arrangement and the play of light indicate a source, most likely an open window towards the left side of the painting. The child, wrapped in white bath towel, is shown seated on the lap of her mother with one foot partly immersed in a white colored little tub of water and the other positioned on it is purple rim. The left hand of the child is placed on her mother’s knee for help and the right hand is casually kept on her own lap. The mother, who is sitting on the floor, is shown keeping the child with her left hand and using the right hand to wash her right foot. The mother is dressed in a long robe with white, green, and lavender colored broad, vertical stripes, which adds focus to the central figures versus a background of bland interiors. The heads of the two figures are resting versus each other, with their line of sight in the same direction, signifying their tender intimacy and involvement with the procedure of bathing. The respective points of physical contact amidst the mother and her child are not only designed to represent a true-to-life situation, rather they are likewise employed as media to spotlight their aroused connection. “The Bath” is a very well crafted work, backed by keen observation and fine execution, which attracted widespread public attention throughout. Ever since it became a percentage of the collection at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1910, it enticed galore admirers and remains there amongst the most revered pieces of work of all times.
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