Who painted The Bath?

The Bath was painted by Mary Cassatt in 1890.

Where can I see The Bath?

The Bath is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is The Bath?

The Bath is associated with Impressionism.

Can I buy a print of The Bath?

Museum-quality prints of The Bath are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

The Bath

Mary Cassatt , 1890

The Bath 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 center in graphite in later hand: D; verso: at upper left in graphite in later hand: 1546
Markings: Marked:recto: none; verso: Rosenwald & National Gallery of Art

About this work

Overview

Created in 1890, The Bath is a print by Mary Cassatt that combines drypoint and soft‑ground etching on laid paper. The composition presents a mother crouching over an infant within a sparsely rendered interior. Cassatt’s handling of line and tone emphasizes the immediacy of the gesture, offering a concise visual narrative of a private, domestic moment.

Subject & Meaning

The image captures a tender interaction between a woman and her baby, focusing on the act of bathing. By eliminating extraneous detail, Cassatt directs attention to the physical closeness and gentle care that define the mother‑child bond. The work reflects her broader interest in portraying everyday familial rituals with sensitivity and restraint.

Technique & Style

Cassatt employed drypoint to incise fine, expressive lines directly into a copper plate, while soft‑ground etching allowed for broader, more fluid strokes that mimic the softness of fabric and skin. The laid paper surface contributes a subtle texture that interacts with the delicate shading, producing a nuanced tonal range characteristic of her late‑19th‑century graphic practice.

History & Provenance

An American expatriate active in the French art scene, Cassatt produced The Bath during her involvement with the Impressionist exhibitions and her close association with Edgar Degas. The print has circulated among private collections and museum holdings, illustrating her sustained engagement with intimate domestic subjects and her contribution to the development of modern printmaking.