Portrait of Madame A. F. Aude and Her Two Daughters 1899

Mary Cassatt made this portrait of Madame Aude and her daughters with pastels, a medium that allowed her to quickly capture the fleeting moments of domestic life. The powdery, almost ethereal quality of pastels lends itself to the soft textures of skin and fabric. Look closely, and you'll see how Cassatt layered the colors, using short, broken strokes to create a sense of depth and volume. The pastel medium is inherently immediate, as it involves direct contact between the artist's hand and the surface of the paper. There's a real intimacy to this work, in the way Cassatt has handled the pastel sticks. Yet while pastels were often seen as a delicate, feminine medium, Cassatt wielded them with confidence and skill. She was part of a wave of female artists claiming a space in the art world. She elevated the material, and making portraits such as this, transformed the everyday into something truly special. It's a testament to the power of materials, and process, and the artistic labour involved.