Artwork
Mother's Kiss
Mother's Kiss is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Mary Cassatt. It dates from 1890 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:recto: at bottom in graphite in later hand: L; verso: none
- Markings
- Marked:recto: none; verso: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (Lugt 282). Lessing J. Rosenwald and National Gallery of Art
About this work
Overview
Created in 1890, Mother’s Kiss is a drypoint print executed on Japanese paper by American artist Mary Cassatt, who spent most of her career in France. The work captures an intimate gesture between a mother and her infant, rendered in monochrome lines that emphasize the immediacy of the moment without the distraction of color.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents a woman leaning forward to place a gentle kiss on a baby’s crown. Cassatt’s focus on domestic tenderness aligns with her broader interest in portraying the private sphere of women, highlighting the emotional bond and everyday affection that define familial relationships.
Technique & Style
Cassett employed the drypoint method, incising the image into a metal plate with a sharp needle. This process yields soft, velvety lines and slightly blurred edges, evident in the flowing hair and the infant’s round head. The use of Japanese paper provides a delicate, light ground that enhances the print’s subtle tonal range.
History & Provenance
Cassatt, an expatriate American closely linked to the Impressionist circle and a confidante of Edgar Degas, produced Mother’s Kiss during a period of prolific printmaking. While specific ownership records are limited, the work remains representative of her late‑19th‑century output and is documented in several museum collections specializing in Impressionist prints.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Mary Stevenson Cassatt (; May 22, 1844 – June 14, 1926) was an American painter and printmaker.
