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The Bath

Mary Cassatt

1890

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century Nude

Dominant colour

The Bath is a 1890 ink by Mary Cassatt, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Mary Cassatt
When & what style?: 1890 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This drawing shows a woman in a bright yellow dress with small floral patterns holding a baby. The baby is reaching into a blue basin of water, while the woman looks down with a calm face. The background is plain, keeping focus on the two figures and the simple scene. The artist used a mix of lines and shading to show the fabric and skin, making it feel soft but not overly detailed. This style was common in etchings of the time. Next, check out etching to see how artists like Cassatt used this technique to create depth with ink and metal plates.