Disccuss Mary Cassatt's The CHild's Bath 1893 in terms of one or two ideas - Essay Example

Mary Cassatt-The Child Bath Mary Cassatt was born on May 22nd 1844 and died June 14th 1965. Though an American painter and print-maker she spent much of her life in France. The Child Bath uses the medium of oil painted on a canvas by Cassatt. She started in 1891 and finished it in 1893 (Hilukka 2009). The painting is 100.3 x 66 cm in size. The style used in this painting is often compared to Japanese art known as Japonism. Cassett was greatly influenced by this style and in the 1890s' painted many pictures following the Japanese movement.

The painting of the Child Bath is similar in this respect as it uses bold brush strokes and bright colors: both important parts of Japanese art. Also, Cassett shows her interest in Japanese woodblock print which is evident in this picture. The painting of a Child Bath is based on a mother cleaning a little child's feet in a tub of water (Art Institute of Chicago). The walls behind this cozy scene are covered in a wall paper decorated with a flowery pattern. The floor appears to be a carpet of some sort: designed intricately with flowers placed inside boxes.

A jug is placed to the right side of the painting. The mother is fully dressed in a long gown and has a child placed on her knee. The child is looking down and is clothed with a single white cloth. The artist has used very vibrant colors in this painting. There are no shadows and there is a very bold brushwork used by the artist. She uses an asymmetrical style (Art Access).The shape of the woman and child's head, the basin and the pitcher are circular. The image also has a symmetrical striped pattern.

Thus, the entire painting is in perfect asymmetrical form. This, along with Cassatt's decision to paint from an unusual position: above. Adler speaks of how to think about art in his book. In an interview with Luckman he claims art to be a technique which uses skill or expert to produce a piece. This is exactly what Cassatt uses in her work, technique to produce a perfect painting. While this painting is not the perfect display of ideal family love and is more observational, it still captures the image of intimacy.

Cassatt uses bright light in this painting to hit the faces of both the child's skin and the cheeks of both mother and child. Vibrant colors are used to reflect the light on both the figures while the background is dark in its contrast. Also, the feet that are dipped in the water are a different shade from the rest of the child's body making ample use of shadow. This painting is a perfect display of a moment at home which will ring as true to anyone who has an appreciation for the maternal instinct.

It depicts the closeness between the woman and child. The woman is caressing the child's feet as both look at the water in the basin together. There seems to be a natural feeling of care for the child who sits with abandon in the woman's lap. The important thing learned from this painting is the contrast between light and dark. It also shows the great detail put on minute things and how these can affect the entire persona of the painting. This is a perfect painting to reflect an oil painting on canvas.

Works CitedAdler M, How to Think About the Great Ideas: From the Great Books of Western Civilization, Open Court; First Printing edition, 28 March 2000 p 224Art Access, Mary Cassatt, The Art Institute of Chicago, July 16 2009 Art Institute of Chicago, Object information, July 16 2009 Hilukka T, Famous paintings displayed in the Art Institute of Chicago, February 12 2009, Associated Content, July 16 2009