Mary Cassatt Essay
Madeline Lane Lane 1
Hixson
U.S History
Mary Cassatt
On 1844 Mary Cassatt was born in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania to a well-to-do family. She shared the house her father built on Rebecca Street with her younger brother Gardner and her older siblings Lydia, Alexander and Robbie. Robert Cassatt, Mary’s father, was a successful banker and also Mayor of Allegheny City for a time. Mary’s mother, Katherine Cassatt was well educated for a woman in the nineteenth century, forever having to abandon nests she had only just made. Mary Cassatt and her family moved several times within Pennsylvania, from Allegheny City to Pittsburgh, then to Lancaster, and then to Philadelphia. Robert Cassatt then decided to move his family to Paris, France when Mary was seven years old. He believed this to be a wise decision, the apotheosis of the Cassatt’s; but especially of Mary. Here in Paris seven year old Mary Cassatt was first influenced to the arts and culture of Europe. Mary had seen right away that Paris and Philadelphia were completely different. Not too long after, Robert Cassatt decided to move his family to Germany to provide his children with the best education. Although during the time spent in Germany, Mary’s brother Robbie grew ill and died ultimately leading the Cassatt’s back to Paris. With their return to France Mary’s eyes were opened once again to the arts of Europe. Along with her family Mary Cassatt visited the Exposition Universally of 1855. Here Mary, eleven at the time witnessed paintings that represented the last sweet word in artistic taste. Artists like Ingres, Delacroix and Courbet exhibited their work while Lane 2
Many other artists and students come from all over to see. Within the same year Robert Cassatt decided to return home to Pennsylvania with his family. This time spent in Europe greatly influenced Mary Cassatt to become a professional artist. Instead of literature, mathematics, or history, drawing had been
Hixson
U.S History
Mary Cassatt
On 1844 Mary Cassatt was born in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania to a well-to-do family. She shared the house her father built on Rebecca Street with her younger brother Gardner and her older siblings Lydia, Alexander and Robbie. Robert Cassatt, Mary’s father, was a successful banker and also Mayor of Allegheny City for a time. Mary’s mother, Katherine Cassatt was well educated for a woman in the nineteenth century, forever having to abandon nests she had only just made. Mary Cassatt and her family moved several times within Pennsylvania, from Allegheny City to Pittsburgh, then to Lancaster, and then to Philadelphia. Robert Cassatt then decided to move his family to Paris, France when Mary was seven years old. He believed this to be a wise decision, the apotheosis of the Cassatt’s; but especially of Mary. Here in Paris seven year old Mary Cassatt was first influenced to the arts and culture of Europe. Mary had seen right away that Paris and Philadelphia were completely different. Not too long after, Robert Cassatt decided to move his family to Germany to provide his children with the best education. Although during the time spent in Germany, Mary’s brother Robbie grew ill and died ultimately leading the Cassatt’s back to Paris. With their return to France Mary’s eyes were opened once again to the arts of Europe. Along with her family Mary Cassatt visited the Exposition Universally of 1855. Here Mary, eleven at the time witnessed paintings that represented the last sweet word in artistic taste. Artists like Ingres, Delacroix and Courbet exhibited their work while Lane 2
Many other artists and students come from all over to see. Within the same year Robert Cassatt decided to return home to Pennsylvania with his family. This time spent in Europe greatly influenced Mary Cassatt to become a professional artist. Instead of literature, mathematics, or history, drawing had been