Mary Cassatt at the Louvre: The Etruscan Gallery 1879 - 1880

Editor: So, this is Edgar Degas' "Mary Cassatt at the Louvre: The Etruscan Gallery," made around 1879-1880, using colored pencil and printmaking techniques. I'm really struck by how intimate and almost voyeuristic it feels. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a powerful statement about female spaces, both public and private, and the subtle power dynamics at play. Cassatt, herself a celebrated Impressionist, is depicted as a visitor, an observer, yet also undeniably present within this cultural institution. How do you read the male figures in the background? Editor: They seem like ghosts, almost, fading into the wallpaper. Does that speak to the idea of male dominance in the art world at that time? Curator: Precisely! Degas subtly contrasts Cassatt's active engagement with the art—note how intently she studies it—against the passive presence of the men. He's placing her, and by extension, other women artists, in dialogue with both the art of the past and the male-dominated art world of the present. Do you think the print medium contributes to this idea of gender and art? Editor: I do! The use of printmaking perhaps implies that women artists like Cassatt were able to take on, own, and recreate this art. Curator: Absolutely, think of printmaking at the time. Was it considered “high art” or more accessible, something reproducible? Also, how do you read the gaze in the image? Editor: That is interesting. Mary seems focused, determined. The men aren’t gazing back, which almost underscores a private, feminine exchange happening in this very public space. I've definitely gained a new understanding of Degas' intent by examining it through the lens of gender and social dynamics. Curator: And I think your point about female agency really underscores Cassatt's and other female artists' determination. This piece shows that agency coexisting with that social structure. It’s a remarkable tension.