Mary CassattAmerican, 1844–1926Mimi as a Brunette
Can I see it?
Not on view at present
Where is “Mimi as a Brunette” now? Collection: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland. Not on view at present. Checked October 12, 2026.
Cleveland, United States
It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the work
In 1888, Mary Cassatt began to experiment with drypoint, a printmaking technique in which an artist draws directly into a copper plate with a needle. This print belongs to a series that she created at this time, each characterized by a sketchiness akin to drawing. It depicts Mary (Mimi) Johnston, Cassatt's second cousin who traveled frequently to Europe and spent long periods of time in Paris. The artist focused most closely on her sitter's face and unfocused gaze, which suggests a sense of introspection.
The Cleveland Museum of Art
Details
- Accession number
- 1941.82
In the catalog
Sources
- The Cleveland Museum of Art
- Image: Wikimedia Commons — CC0
In the life of Mary Cassatt
The whole life1890s
Mentor to young Americans
The 1890s are the busiest and most creative period of Mary’s life: young American artists seek her advice and support, and she introduces Lucy A. Bacon to Camille Pissarro.
1891
Colour prints inspired by Japanese woodcuts
Mary exhibits a series of highly original colour drypoints and aquatints, among them “Woman Bathing” and “The Coiffure”, inspired by the Japanese masters shown in Paris the year before. She was drawn to the simplicity and clarity of Japanese design and its skilful use of blocks of colour.
1891
Bertha Palmer commissions a mural
Chicago socialite Bertha Palmer asks Mary to paint a 12 × 58 ft mural on “Modern Woman” for the Women’s Building at the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893. Palmer thought Cassatt an American treasure and could think of no one better.
