On a Balcony
Mary Cassatt (American, 1844–1926)
1878–79
View the original$28
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Materials & printing
Archival matte paper, 189 g/m² (10.3 mil), sourced from Japan, printed with multicolor water-based inkjet so every brushstroke stays crisp. Framed prints arrive ready to hang in a .75″ ayous-wood frame with an acrylite front.
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About this work
Shown at the 1880 Impressionist exhibition, On a Balcony depicts a woman in a private garden surrounded by flowers rendered in energetic brushstrokes of red, blue, yellow, and pink. Mary Cassatt focused on the activities of middle- and upper-class women in society—from public outings like the theater to domestic settings such as this one. Here, the blue rail of the balcony, visible near the top of the painting, defines the enclosed space of a garden, and the sitter’s morning dress further indicates the intimacy of the location. Cassatt signaled the modernity of her subject through the woman’s choice of reading material: she peruses a newspaper rather than a novel, demonstrating that even at home, Cassatt’s subjects are connected to the contemporary world.
- Artist
- Mary Cassatt (American, 1844–1926)
- Date
- 1878–79
- Medium
- Oil on canvas
- Origin
- France
- Style
- Impressionism
- Collection
- Women artists, Arts of the Americas
- Reference
- 1938.18 · Art Institute of Chicago