Cassatt Artist Study

I prefer a book in hand when it comes to homeschool, but you can do an entire artist study from the Internet.

Olga's Gallery is a wonderful free resource! Some people choose to download the weekly image and then use it as a computer screensaver for that week. If you'd like to make your own choices or add to this list of twelve, visit Olga's Cassatt gallery (be sure to go on to page 2 for all of them).

These twelve works of art will offer a good sampling of Mary Cassatt's style and subjects.

1. Little Girl in a Blue Armchair, 1878

2. Miss Mary Ellison, c. 1880

3. The Loge, 1882

4. Two Children at the Seashore, 1884

5. Girl Arranging Her Hair, 1886

6. Child in a Straw Hat, c. 1886

7. Portrait of an Elderly Lady, c. 1887

8. Woman with a Red Zinnia, 1891

9. The Boating Party, 1893/1894

10. Sara in a Green Bonnet, c. 1901

11. The Bath, c. 1893

12. Portrait of Alexander Cassatt and His Son Robert, 1885


Look at one work of art each week for nine to twelve weeks, looking at the piece and narrating it back verbally. Alternatively, a child can do a drawn narration at times.

Of course, if at all possible, go see some of Cassatt's works in a museum or exhibit. A year before studying Cassatt, we were fortunate enough to see one of her works in Memphis, TN.

For each artist we study, we choose one painting and do our own version or reproduction of it. Here is Sprite's version of The Family. The original follows it.

I participate right alongside my daughter. Why? Mainly because I think it's plain interesting and fun! But it also helps us to bond as we spend time together working on projects. When I open myself up to her suggestions, she is likewise more apt to receive mine. So here's my humble version of A Little Girl in a Blue Armchair with the original underneath.