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Lot Essay
Paris at the end of the nineteenth century was inhabited by a close circle of artists, collectors and patrons of the French avant-garde. Among them were Edgar Degas, Pierre Auguste Renoir, and the American painter Mary Cassatt, as well as Théodore Gaillard, an early patron and friend of the artists. It was Degas who first introduced Cassatt to Gaillard within this realm of the upper-middle class artistic and intellectual elite of Paris. Over the years, both in the city and in countryside retreats such as Chatou and La Grenouillère, Cassatt cultivated and maintained a close relationship with Gaillard and his wife and children. It was in these relaxed social settings that the artist created this charming rendering of young Marie-Thérèse.
Cassatt's fame as one of the finest Impressionist artists rests largely on her poignant renderings of children. Her success at creating images such as Marie-Thérèse Gaillard led the artist to acquire a reputation as a leading painter of children both in France and in her native America. When John Singer Sargent was asked to paint the children of his Boston patrons Mr. and Mrs. Gardner Greene Hammond, he declined, recommending Cassatt instead. She accepted the commission and executed the portraits around 1898. Such popularity was undoubtedly due to her unparalleled ability to capture not only the beauty, but also the individuality of each of her young subjects.
Executed in 1894 when Marie-Thérèse was six years old, the work is a sensitive and insightful depiction of the young girl in hair ribbons and a dress of deep violet. Paying careful attention to the face, Cassatt here demonstrates her mastery of the medium of pastel, building up layers of color until the flesh of the young girl's cheeks takes on a luminous glow. For Cassatt, the involvement of the sitter is an integral part of the picture. Here, she brilliantly captures Marie-Thérèse's intelligent and curious nature; her eyes sparkle and she turns her head slightly as if she has fixed her attention on some unknown activity.
Cassatt's works during this period reveal her celebrated style and technique, freed from the restraints of the Paris Salon and embracing the bold palette and lively pastel technique of the Impressionists. Portrait de Marie-Thérèse Gaillard is a wonderful example of the principles of Impressionism applied with Cassatt's zest, creativity, and intelligence. The high degree of finish, dramatic color scheme, and skilled handling of the medium of pastel reflect Cassatt's innate artistic ability.
Throughout her career, Cassatt explored the subject of children with tenderness and poignancy. A sentimental rendering of her young Parisian friend, Portrait de Marie-Thérèse Gaillard is a superb example of Impressionism at its best and demonstrates all that is most revered in Cassatt's finest works. Upon its completion, Marie-Thérèse Gaillard was hung in the Gaillard family's townhouse in Paris on rue Lafayette. An additional testament to the Gaillards' appreciation of Cassatt and her work, the pastel was flanked by a framed etching and an aquatint from the artist's celebrated series of color prints.
This pastel will be included in the Cassatt Committee's revision of Adelyne Dohme Breeskin's catalogue raisonné of the works of Mary Cassatt.
Cassatt's fame as one of the finest Impressionist artists rests largely on her poignant renderings of children. Her success at creating images such as Marie-Thérèse Gaillard led the artist to acquire a reputation as a leading painter of children both in France and in her native America. When John Singer Sargent was asked to paint the children of his Boston patrons Mr. and Mrs. Gardner Greene Hammond, he declined, recommending Cassatt instead. She accepted the commission and executed the portraits around 1898. Such popularity was undoubtedly due to her unparalleled ability to capture not only the beauty, but also the individuality of each of her young subjects.
Executed in 1894 when Marie-Thérèse was six years old, the work is a sensitive and insightful depiction of the young girl in hair ribbons and a dress of deep violet. Paying careful attention to the face, Cassatt here demonstrates her mastery of the medium of pastel, building up layers of color until the flesh of the young girl's cheeks takes on a luminous glow. For Cassatt, the involvement of the sitter is an integral part of the picture. Here, she brilliantly captures Marie-Thérèse's intelligent and curious nature; her eyes sparkle and she turns her head slightly as if she has fixed her attention on some unknown activity.
Cassatt's works during this period reveal her celebrated style and technique, freed from the restraints of the Paris Salon and embracing the bold palette and lively pastel technique of the Impressionists. Portrait de Marie-Thérèse Gaillard is a wonderful example of the principles of Impressionism applied with Cassatt's zest, creativity, and intelligence. The high degree of finish, dramatic color scheme, and skilled handling of the medium of pastel reflect Cassatt's innate artistic ability.
Throughout her career, Cassatt explored the subject of children with tenderness and poignancy. A sentimental rendering of her young Parisian friend, Portrait de Marie-Thérèse Gaillard is a superb example of Impressionism at its best and demonstrates all that is most revered in Cassatt's finest works. Upon its completion, Marie-Thérèse Gaillard was hung in the Gaillard family's townhouse in Paris on rue Lafayette. An additional testament to the Gaillards' appreciation of Cassatt and her work, the pastel was flanked by a framed etching and an aquatint from the artist's celebrated series of color prints.
This pastel will be included in the Cassatt Committee's revision of Adelyne Dohme Breeskin's catalogue raisonné of the works of Mary Cassatt.