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Mimi as a Brunette

Mary Cassatt

1889

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century Interior

Dominant colour

Mimi as a Brunette is a 1889 ink by Mary Cassatt, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Mary Cassatt
When & what style?: 1889 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows a woman sitting with her arm resting on the back of a chair. Her hair is pulled back, and she’s looking off to the side. The lines are loose and quick, with some areas left sketchy and others more defined. The artist used a drypoint tool to carve into the paper, which creates those scratchy, textured lines. This wasn’t meant to be a polished painting but a fast, expressive study. Next, check out the technique: drypoint to see how artists use metal plates or paper to make these kinds of marks.