The Map — Mary Cassatt

ABOUT THIS WORK

In Mary Cassatt's "The Map," a woman leans intently over a large sheet of paper, her posture suggesting deep concentration. The drypoint technique, visible in the delicate lines and varied textures, creates a sense of intimacy and quiet observation. You can almost feel the weight of her gaze as she studies the details laid out before her. The scene is spare, focusing entirely on the figure and her activity, drawing the viewer into her private moment of study or planning. This work, created in 1890, captures a common, yet often unremarked upon, aspect of women's lives in the late 19th century: moments of quiet intellectual engagement, far removed from the more public or maternal scenes often depicted by artists of the period. It speaks to a private world of thought and purpose.

DETAILS

Artist: Mary Cassatt
Date: 1890
Medium: Drypoint; third state of three
Location: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Dimensions: plate: 6 1/4 x 9 1/8 in. (15.8 x 23.2 cm)

ART MOVEMENTS

Impressionism Tonalism

LOOK CLOSER

What to Notice

Five details hide in plain sight. Pick one and we’ll show you exactly where to look.

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01

Two bent heads

Look at the two heads bent close together at center. Both girls look down at the same spot, so their shared focus tells the story without a word.

1 of 5 on the painting

02

Pointing hand

Find the small hand at right, resting on the surface with the fingers touching it. It is the one spot where the girls' attention turns into action.

2 of 5 on the painting

03

The empty map

The big pale curve in the lower half appears to be the map or a large sheet they lean over, left almost blank. We see the girls' interest but not what they study.

3 of 5 on the painting

04

Dark sleeve lines

Look at the dense, scratchy lines on the right girl's sleeve and shoulder. Drypoint leaves a soft, velvety burr that gives these darks their richness.

4 of 5 on the painting

05

Unfinished edges

Follow the figure at left as its body dissolves into a few loose strokes toward the lower left. The body is only hinted at, so the faces carry the weight.

5 of 5 on the painting

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THE ARTIST

Mary Cassatt

1844–1926 · United States

Mary Cassatt, an American painter and printmaker, captured the intimate world of women and children with remarkable tenderness, often exhibiting with the Impressionists in France.

Read Cassatt’s full story