拍品專文
The subject of this pastel is Mary Cassatt's neice Elsie, the daughter of her brother Alexander, an executive of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Elsie became Mrs. W. Plunkett Stewart of Unionville, and this pastel was inherited by her daughter, Elsie Cassatt Stewart Simmons.
Born in 1875 Elsie would have been five years old when this was painted in 1886. She appears, at the same age, in a large multiple portrait by Cassatt, listening to her grandmother read fairy tales. Titled Le lecture (private collection) that work was included with three other oil paintings and seven pastels as Cassatt's contribution to the Sixth Impressionist Exhibition at 35 boulevard des Capucines in 1881.
Although Cassatt only joined the Impressionist group (at Degas urging) in 1879, she was extremely well received at this exhibition. Of the Sixth Impressionist Exhibition Mary Cassatt's father wrote to Alexander, her brother (the first owner of this work):
Mame's success is certainly more marked this year than at any time previous. It is noticeable that of the three American papers
published in Paris the "Parisian" is the only one that notices
the Exposition--Mame keeps the colony [of Americans in Paris] at
such a distance that she cannot expect any support from them--The thing that pleases her most in this success is not the newspaper
publicity, for that she dispises [sic] as a rule--but the fact
that artists of talent and reputation and other persons prominent in art matters ask to be introduced to her and compliment her on her work (R. Cassatt to A. Cassatt, April 18, 1881, Matthews, 160-161)
A double portrait of Elsie and her brother Robert showing her wearing the same bonnet and cape is still in the collection of descendants of Mary Cassatt (Breeskin 76).
Born in 1875 Elsie would have been five years old when this was painted in 1886. She appears, at the same age, in a large multiple portrait by Cassatt, listening to her grandmother read fairy tales. Titled Le lecture (private collection) that work was included with three other oil paintings and seven pastels as Cassatt's contribution to the Sixth Impressionist Exhibition at 35 boulevard des Capucines in 1881.
Although Cassatt only joined the Impressionist group (at Degas urging) in 1879, she was extremely well received at this exhibition. Of the Sixth Impressionist Exhibition Mary Cassatt's father wrote to Alexander, her brother (the first owner of this work):
Mame's success is certainly more marked this year than at any time previous. It is noticeable that of the three American papers
published in Paris the "Parisian" is the only one that notices
the Exposition--Mame keeps the colony [of Americans in Paris] at
such a distance that she cannot expect any support from them--The thing that pleases her most in this success is not the newspaper
publicity, for that she dispises [sic] as a rule--but the fact
that artists of talent and reputation and other persons prominent in art matters ask to be introduced to her and compliment her on her work (R. Cassatt to A. Cassatt, April 18, 1881, Matthews, 160-161)
A double portrait of Elsie and her brother Robert showing her wearing the same bonnet and cape is still in the collection of descendants of Mary Cassatt (Breeskin 76).