Mary Cassat by Edgar Degas,1900
The youth - The impressionism - The maternity - The Dry-point - The castle -The Havenmeyer collection - The fatigue - The death |
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click on the pictures to see the paintings Mary Cassatt was born in Pennsylvania in a four-child family in 1844. In 1861 she make her first trip to Europe with her family. A month before her sixteen, she joins the Academy of Art of Philadelphia. The classical academism bored her very soon and in the middle of the civilian war, she desire to go to Europe for studying painting. In Paris, still at sixteen years old, she initiate the famous Havenmayer art collection rather forcing Louisine Havenmayer to buy a Degas, first impressionist painting to cross Atlantic ocean. |
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In 1865, she finely obtain a copyist pass for Le Louvre museum them she can meet her friends in a public place… Satisfied by her work in Paris she go back to the States and find there a studio. During her life she will cross Atlantic ocean several time that way portraying riche American people for living. In 1877, she join the impressionist movement and became a friend of Degas who help her in her work. He said about her: “ It is not possible a women draw in such a good manner!” After she was successful in her painting, and “eaux-fortes” in the Salon, she assist at the dislocation of the impressionist group. |
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In 1886, American single painter, in Paris, she begin what is gone a be the central theme of her work : maternity. Enter in Mary Cassatt work is like irrupting in a gynaecium. |
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In 1890, she is literally shocked by a Japanese dry-point exhibition. Immediately, she successfully decide to explore this art expression. Elaborating a monumental work, disappeared today, she discover Vexin ( small part of France between Paris and Normandy) in the Bachivilliers castle in Oise. |
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She fell in love with the Vexin and bought The Beaufresne castle in Le Mesnil-Théribus in 1892.
She definitely settles in Le Mesnil after a series of modernisations for example electricity and hot water she need for her dry point. She prepares working with passion an exhibition in New-York exhibition that pay rather totally her new castle… |
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In 1900 Mary Cassatt famous painter, spend winter in Paris and summer in her castle where a few people like Pissaro, Clemenceau (French president) and Mamarmé (famous poet) visit her. With Louisine Havenmayer, she makes a tour of Europe increasing that way the Havenmayer collection. At the same time she meets Picasso’s work and declares that painting is falling in anarchy hoping it’s just an anecdote… |
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In 1910, She travels in Egypt with her brother Gardner she don’t enjoy the trip and come back ill in Paris where her brother died. She goes to Grace in south of France in 1912 where she meets Renoir who encouraged her at painting again and soon she has her first twelve new pastels since 1910. She work too much as the doctors says but she needs to maintain her way of life. Mary Cassatt is one of the rare women who lived of her work at this time not being married. In 1917, she goes to Degas burial ceremony. |
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In 1923 Mary Cassatt season including dry points is made in New York. It is admitted that she paint a third part of her work in Beaufresne. She died there quite blind after a diabetic coma June 14th 1926. The memory of Mary Cassatt will stay as one of the most eminent women figures, one of those women who refused the society commandment. He all life was dedicated to her passion and was as she said about painting:” There are two different ways for a painter, one large and easy and the second one strict and inconfortable…” |
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The passionate Mary Cassatt : She digs the ground of her studio in the castle of Bachivilliers to execute a monumental tryptique for the women part of an exhibition in Chicago in 1893. The work is lost by now but through the number of drawings that left from it, we can feel how the whole work had been: a celebration of the free modern women. The generous Mary Cassatt : A member of our association told us that her father, who frequently visit Mary Cassatt, could never leave her home without hearing her offering his one of her painting…That he never took… The precursory Mary Cassatt : When she arrive in Beaufresne, in the 1890s, she produce her own electricity. She offers to light the whole city of Le mesnil-Théribus too, but the mayor scared by the exentric American lady refused! The city will be lighted with electricity in 1926 as the rest of the French country! The citizen Mary Cassatt : She buys a building to create a first grade school and give herself a salary to the teacher. The activist Mary Cassatt : She supports the worker’s strike of 1905.They protest about their working conditions: no talking at work, can’t watch by the window, 3 meters high walls had been built to prevent that around the factory. Suffragette: She support the movement for women vote in the United states in 1917. The French women obtain it in 1947… Surprising Mary Cassatt : In 1905 to Anna Thorne who visited her she declared she dosen’t like Americans! The beloved Mary cassatt : After her death the one who loved her still prove it: The janitor of her home in the second world war, decided to hide from the germans, the personal collection of painting of Mary Cassatt (Renoir, Pissarro, Monet, Manet, Degas all her impressionists friends and a lot of her own painting). Before the germans arrived the population decided to hide in their own home all the furniture of the castle. Everyone of the village gave back everything at the end of the war. |
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