Woman Reading 1879

Mary Cassatt created this oil painting titled "Woman Reading," now residing in the Joslyn Art Museum. The painting strikes one with its delicate balance of color and form, evoking a sense of tranquil introspection. Cassatt employs a gentle palette where soft blues and greens contrast with subtle pinks, creating a harmonious yet visually stimulating experience. The composition draws the eye from the dark, solid green mass of the chair to the light figure of the woman, unified by the textured brushstrokes across the canvas. Cassatt uses the interplay between figure and ground to explore interiority. The woman, absorbed in her reading, embodies a quiet revolution. Her posture and demeanor suggest autonomy, challenging traditional representations of women. The newspaper becomes a signifier of knowledge, and the act of reading implies engagement with a broader world. Ultimately, it's the painting’s structure, that allows us to decode this artwork's meaning.