A young girl sits quietly, her hands folded upon her lap in Mary Cassatt etching The Party Dress,1904. She is all dressed up in a beautiful dress with poofed sleeves, her "party dress." Despite the title of this piece, the viewer's eye is not drawn to the party dress but rather to the young girl's lovely face. Cassatt (Pennsylvania, 1844 - Paris, 1926) depicts her subject in three quarter view, gazing off to her left as if seeking out a parent for reassurance. The girl's face is etched with incredible detail and appears as a true portrait; the girl retains unique facial features such as a slightly turned up nose, delicate lips, and dark, mysterious eyes. The viewer can only imagine that the young girl is preparing for an outing but must sit patiently for a portrait first. Cassatt contrasts the detailed, shaded face of her subject with the loose lines of the dress, further highlighting the young girl's facial features and expression.

Created in c.1904, this original drypoint etching is printed on Vanderley watermarked laid paper with deckle edges on all sides. This piece is hand-signed by Mary Cassatt (Pennsylvania, 1844 - Paris, 1926) in pencil in the lower right margin.

Catalogue Raisonné & COA:

Mary Cassatt etching The Party Dress,1904 is fully documented and referenced in the below catalogue raisonnés and texts (copies will be enclosed as added documentation with the invoices that will accompany the final sale of the work).

1. Breeskin, A.D. (1979). Mary Cassatt: A Catalogue Raisonné of the Graphic Work. Smithsonian Institution Press: Washington, D.C. Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. 191.

2. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany this work.

About the Framing:

Mary Cassatt etching The Party Dress,1904 is framed to museum-grade, conservation standards, presented in a complimentary moulding and finished with silk-wrapped mats and optical grade Plexiglas.