Mary Cassatt - A Woman and a Girl Driving [1881]

Mary Cassatt - A Woman and a Girl Driving [1881], a photo by Gandalf's Gallery on Flickr.

Cassatt (American, 1844–1926) settled in Paris in 1874 and became the only American to show her works with the Impressionists. She specialised in portraying women's activities. This canvas conveys the comfortable existence of women in her circle and her own support of female empowerment. Cassatt's sister, Lydia, who came to live in Paris in 1877, is seen driving a small carriage in the Bois de Boulogne, enjoying a familiar outing and taking charge of her own path, actually and symbolically. She is accompanied by Odile Fèvre, a niece of Edgar Degas. Lydia's independence and determined concentration are in contrast to the family's passive young groom, who observes from the backward-facing seat only where the carriage has been, not where it is going.

[Oil on canvas, 89.7 x 130.5 cm]