Sketch for 'Francoise in a Round Backed Chair, Reading' or 'A Girl in Pink' 1908

Mary Cassatt's 'Sketch for 'Francoise in a Round Backed Chair, Reading' or 'A Girl in Pink' is an oil on canvas, a private moment captured with a loose touch. The pink hues she uses, they're not just pink, right? They're mixed with whites, greys, pulling them back, like she's thinking about the color as she makes the mark. There's a raw quality to the surface, a visible layering of brushstrokes that give a sense of immediacy. It’s not about perfection, it’s about the feeling of light on the girl’s face, the gentle curve of her shoulders, or the way the white of the canvas peeks through. Look at the dark marks below the girl's hands, confident strokes but indistinct. Is it embroidery or something on the page of a book? The ambiguity gives the picture a sense of movement, like a fleeting impression. Cassatt's impressionist sensibilities resonate with artists like Berthe Morisot, who also explored intimate, domestic scenes. These works invite us to embrace the beauty of imperfection, understanding that art is not about fixed answers, but about seeing and feeling.