The Horse Chestnut - Mary Cassatt

A refined drypoint and aquatint print by Mary Cassatt, depicting a mother and child beneath a horse chestnut tree in a style influenced by Japanese art.

The Horse Chestnut is a notable example of Mary Cassatt's mastery of the printmaking medium. Produced during the 1890s, this work reflects the influence of Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints, which were then circulating in Paris. Cassatt adopted the flat planes of colour and the simplified, bold outlines characteristic of the style, applying them to her preferred subject matter: the domestic lives of women and children. In this composition, a mother sits on the ground, lifting her child towards the branches of a horse chestnut tree. The figures are rendered with minimal modelling, relying on the contrast between the dark, solid background and the lighter tones of the skin to create form. The mother wears a dark blue bodice paired with a yellow skirt patterned with dark spots, a choice that provides a clear visual anchor against the deep green ground. Above, the stylised leaves of the horse chestnut tree hang in the upper portion of the frame, providing a decorative element that frames the interaction between the two figures. Cassatt was a dedicated printmaker, often experimenting with combinations of drypoint and aquatint to achieve specific textures and tonal qualities. Her approach to this work demonstrates a departure from traditional Western perspective, favouring a more graphic, two-dimensional arrangement. The focus remains on the intimate connection between the mother and child, captured in a moment of quiet engagement. The print is part of a series of ten works that Cassatt exhibited in 1891, which helped establish her reputation as a significant figure within the Impressionist circle. Her ability to synthesise European subject matter with Eastern aesthetic principles remains a defining characteristic of her graphic work.