To be independent . . .

Today is the birthday of Mary Stevenson Cassatt (May 22, 1844 – June 14, 1926), Impressionist painter and printmaker. She is known for painting images of the social and private lives of women, focusing on the intimate bonds between mothers and children.

Mother Combing Child's Hair
Mary Cassatt
c. 1901
Pastel and gouache on tan paper
25 1/4 x 31 5/8 in. (64.1 x 80.3 cm)
Brooklyn Museum
(Bequest of Mary T. Cockcroft)
Brooklyn, New York

"I have touched with a sense of art some people - they felt the love and the life. Can you offer me anything to compare to that joy for an artist?" - Mary Cassatt

"I am independent! I can live alone and I love to work." - Mary Cassatt