The Child’s Bath

The Child’s Bath is one of Mary Cassatt’s most admired works, showing a mother gently bathing her young daughter’s feet. The elevated, tilted viewpoint, flattened patterns, and bold contours reflect the influence of Japanese ukiyo-e prints that Cassatt collected. As a rare major American artist of the Impressionist circle — and a woman depicting the intimate world of women and children — Cassatt brought a distinctive and humane vision to the movement.