Mary Cassatt

Breeskin 24

With wide margins at sides, smaller at top and below, very soft handling creases, inscribed 'aquatinte vernis mou' and 'B. 24' in pencil in lower margin, otherwise in very good, fresh condition
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

soft-ground etching, circa 1880, third (final) state, printed in dark brown ink, on laid paper.

VOLLARD & MARY CASSATT

 

Ambroise Vollard entretint dès 1896 une longue et fructueuse relation avec Mary Cassatt. Bien que cette dernière soit obligée de rester fidèle au marchand Durand-Ruel, elle ressentait cependant un attachement particulier pour Vollard, qui appréciait sa maîtrise de la technique de l'estampe. En 1906, Vollard rendit visite à l'artiste aux Etats-Unis et lui acheta une grande quantité d'œuvres sur papier ainsi que des peintures. Tout au long de sa carrière, il ne cessa d'acquérir des centaines d'estampes de Cassatt, particulièrement des études préparatoires ou des œuvres de jeunesse, qui témoignent d'un sens unique de la pointe-sèche, de l'eau-forte et de l'aquatinte. La volonté d'Ambroise Vollard étant de rassembler un ensemble exceptionnel d'estampes de Cassatt, le meilleur et le plus significatif ensemble jamais collecté, l'artiste s'efforça alors de perfectionner ses compositions imprimées en travaillant beaucoup sur les effets atmosphériques. Les épreuves ici présentées, provenant de la collection Vollard, illustrent à merveille le meilleur style de Mary Cassatt  ainsi que son habileté à se jouer de la ligne, des tons et du papier, évoquant les humeurs en jouant sur les contrastes de différentes tonalités d'encre, tout en magnifiant ses sujets favoris qui firent sa renommée comme le portrait de famille, le théâtre, les tendres scènes de mères à l'enfant.

 

Ambroise Vollard had a long and fruitful relationship with Mary Cassatt, beginning in 1896. Although Cassatt was obliged to stay with the dealer Durand-Ruel, she nonetheless felt a special bond with Vollard, who greatly appreciated her mastery of printmaking. In 1906 Vollard visited Cassatt in her country home and purchased from her a large amount of works on paper, as well as paintings. Throughout his career, he continued to acquire hundreds of Cassatt's prints, particularly preparatory or early states, which show her unique experimentation with drypoint, etching and aquatint.  As dedicated as Ambroise Vollard was to amassing an unusually fine group of Cassatt's prints, the finest and most significant group ever collected, so Mary Cassatt strove to achieve atmospheric effects using printmaking techniques. The following prints from this collection are beautiful examples of how Cassatt not just manipulated line, tone and paper in her graphic art, evoking mood by contrasting different tonalities of ink, but also how this particular artistic medium perfectly complimented her favorite subject matter of family portraiture, theatre and mother and child subjects.