MARY CASSATT

American Artist

Mary Stevenson Cassatt was the first female artist in America to reach the same status as her male contemporaries.

Cassatt was born in 1844 in Allegheny, PA, now a part of Pittsburgh, and raised in Philadelphia, where she attended Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts - one of the first in the world to accept female students. During her childhood, her family spent an extended period of time in Europe, where she would return in 1868, as the United States at the time offered few opportunities for women. In fact, she became the first important professional female artist in America, as this was not considered to be a respectable profession for a woman at that time.

Settling in Europe permanently in 1874, Cassatt took lessons and painted, and eventually was noticed by Edgar Degas. Degas invited her to join his group of impressionist artists in Paris which inlcuded Manet, Monet, Renoir, and Cezanne. Her parents and sister eventually joined her there. She painted mostly in oils and pastels, and produced beautiful prints as well, becoming an outstanding and exact artist in both fields. She became known for her impressionistic portraits of mothers and children.

Cassatt was also instrumental in inspiring several wealthy Americans to invest in works of art, many by acquaintances of hers, and perhaps helped lead to their popularity. She died in 1926.