Description

Easton Press leather edition of Jay Roudebush's "Mary Cassatt," a COLLECTOR'S edition, Frontispiece Self-Portrait of Cassatt, Printed in Italy, published in 1982. Bound in burgundy leather, the book has paper end leaves, satin book marker, Symth-sewn binding, acid-free paper, gold gilding on three edges---in near FINE condition. Mary Cassatt, who lived from 1844---1926, was born and reared in Pennsylvania, but lived most of her adult life in Paris. She was born into an upper-middle-class family, one of seven children. She grew up in an environment that viewed travel as integral to education; she spent five years in Europe and visited many of the capitals, including London, Paris, and Berlin. Though her family objected to her becoming a professional artist, Cassatt began studying painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia at the early age of 15. Part of her parents' concern may have been Cassatt's exposure to feminist ideas and the bohemian behavior of some of the male students. As such, Cassatt and her network of friends were lifelong advocates of equal rights for the sexes. Cassatt moved to Paris in 1866 with her mother and family friends acting as chaperones. Since women could not yet attend the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Cassatt applied to study privately with masters from the school. In Paris i n 1866, she studied with Charles Chaplin and Jean-Leon Gerome and copied masterworks in the LOUVRE. In 1868 her first painting was accepted for the Salon. She traveled to ITALY and spent eight months in Parma, copying painting by Correggio and studying printmaking with Carlo Raimondi. From 1872-74, she painted in Seville, Antwerp, Paris, and Rome, submitting works to the Salon and to exhibitions in the U.S. She was famous for her women and children paintings. In 1877, Cassatt was invited by DEGAS to be one of the "independents," soon to be known as the Impressionists. In 1908-09 Cassatt made her last trip to the U.S. 95 pages, including a Biographical Outline, a Selected Bibliography and an Index. I offer Combined Shipping.