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The Letter

Mary Cassatt American
Printer Jointly printed by the artist and Monsieur LeRoy French
1890–91
Not on view
Cassatt's solemn correspondent calmly seals her envelope, exhibiting none of the dreamy sentimentality of artistic predecessors. Instead, this modern woman attends to her domestic responsibilities with dignity and concentration-and without revealing the contents of her missive. In this final state of the print Cassatt altered an element of the initial design: the pink bodice seen here is impressed over a smocking pattern that she had drawn earlier in drypoint. The elaborate patterning was achieved by means of three plates printed successively on the same sheet.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: The Letter
  • Artist: Mary Cassatt (American, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 1844–1926 Le Mesnil-Théribus, Oise)
  • Printer: Jointly printed by the artist and Monsieur LeRoy (French, active 1875–1900)
  • Date: 1890–91
  • Medium: Drypoint and aquatint, printed in color from three plates; fourth state of four
  • Dimensions: plate: 13 5/8 x 8 15/16 in. (34.6 x 22.7 cm)
    sheet: 17 x 11 3/4 in. (43.2 x 29.8 cm)
  • Classification: Prints
  • Credit Line: Gift of Paul J. Sachs, 1916
  • Object Number: 16.2.9
  • Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

More Artwork

More Artwork
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The Map, Mary Cassatt American, Drypoint; second state of three
The Map
Mary Cassatt
1890
Mother Berthe Holding Her Child, Mary Cassatt American, Drypoint; second state of two
Mother Berthe Holding Her Child
Mary Cassatt
ca. 1889
The Barefooted Child, Mary Cassatt American, Drypoint and aquatint, printed in color from three plates; fifth state of five
The Barefooted Child
Mary Cassatt
ca. 1896–97
The Stocking, Mary Cassatt American, Drypoint; fifth state of six
The Stocking
Mary Cassatt
1890
The Mirror, Mary Cassatt American, Drypoint; sixth state of six
The Mirror
Mary Cassatt
ca. 1891

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