Mother and Child 1880

Mary Cassatt made this tender “Mother and Child” with pastel, a medium associated with immediacy and intimacy. Pastels are essentially pure pigment, bound loosely together. This allows for a directness of application, almost like drawing. Cassatt captures a fleeting moment of connection. The pastel allows her to build up soft layers of color, creating a hazy, dreamlike quality. Notice how the colors blend and bleed into each other, blurring the boundaries between the figures. The lack of hard lines emphasizes the closeness and warmth of the embrace. Pastel was embraced by Impressionist artists for its ability to capture the ephemeral effects of light and atmosphere. It also aligned with their interest in domestic subjects and scenes of everyday life, of which motherhood was a central theme. Cassatt elevates this everyday subject, using pastel's delicate touch to convey the profound emotional bond between mother and child. It reminds us that "high art" can be found in the most intimate moments and humble materials.