Susan and Child Facing Each Other
Medium
figures
Classification
figures
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Samuel P. Avery
Accession Number
1898-6-30
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Mary Cassatt's *Susan and Child Facing Each Other* (ca. 1883) captures an intimate moment between a woman—likely Susan, a family member or model—and a young child locked in tender eye contact. As an American expatriate artist (1844–1926) who became a key figure in the French Impressionist circle, Cassatt specialized in domestic scenes that elevated everyday life, particularly the bonds between mothers and children. This work exemplifies her signature focus on women's private worlds, rendered with soft lighting and fluid forms that convey emotional depth. Created during Cassatt's mature Impres...