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In the Opera Box (No. 3)

Mary Cassatt

1880

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century

Dominant colour

In the Opera Box (No. 3) is a 1880 ink by Mary Cassatt, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Mary Cassatt
When & what style?: 1880 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This print shows a woman in a fancy opera box, her face half-lit by stage lights. She wears a big hat and a dark dress, her posture relaxed but formal. Behind her, the theater’s balcony railing and a blurry crowd of people fill the background. The artist used rough, sketchy lines to show light and shadow, almost like a quick sketch. The paper looks textured, and the dark areas feel almost smudged—this isn’t a polished painting but a print made with ink and metal plates. Check out etching to see how artists like this create layered, grainy textures.