Mary Cassatt Prints and Drawings from the Collection of Ambroise Vollard - Hardcover

Marc Rosen; Susan Pinsky

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0974162183 ISBN 13: 9780974162188

Publisher: Adelson Galleries and Marc Rosen Fine Art, 2008

Synopsis

Mary Cassatt (1844-1926), the American-born Impressionist, was captivated by the challenges and artistic possibilities of making prints. These works were a central part of her discipline as a draughtsman, allowing her to focus on the essentials of form, gesture, and expression. During Cassatt's extended residence in France, Ambroise Vollard, the cutting-edge dealer in Paris best known for his appreciation and promotion of the works of Cezanne and Picasso, was stunned by the vitality and modern vision of her works on paper. In particular, Vollard was fascinated by the sequential development of the prints, which provided an extraordinary visual record of her creative process. Vollard later acquired Cassatt's entire collection of her prints and drawings, most of which had never been exhibited. These works remained in his holdings until his death in 1939, when they were acquired by the distinguished French dealer and collector, Henri M. Petiet. Part of this trove of works was finally brought to light in 2000 by Marc Rosen Fine Art, Ltd. in the ground-breaking exhibition "Mary Cassatt: Prints and Drawings from the Artist's Studio" held at Adelson Galleries. Another aspect of her artistic experimentation was displayed in the 2004 exhibition, "Art in the Mirror: The Counterproofs of Mary Cassatt," which presented previously unknown pastel transfers.

The full depth of this astonishing cache of Cassatt's graphic works is revealed in the final exhibition of this series, "Cassatt from the Collection of Vollard: Prints and Drawings." The exhibition and this accompanying catalogue include nearly 100 etchings, aquatints, and a group of important early drawings, which reveal the range of the artist's creative process and add to our understanding of her innovative approach to art. Of particular interest are the works dealing with the artit's central themes addressing the place of women in society and her unsentimental representations of women with children. In addition to the illustrations the catalogue includes a foreword by Warren Adelson, an introduction by Marc Rosen, and essays by Nancy Mowll Mathews and Sarah Bertalan.

About this title

About the Author

NANCY MOWLL MATHEWS is the Eugenie Prendergast Senior Curator of neneteeneth and twentieth century art at the Williams College Museum of Art and author of the standard biography of Cassatt, Mary Cassatt: A Life, (1998); SARAH BERTALAN is an independent conservator of works on paper and an editor/compier of the Paper Conservation Catalogue; MARC ROSEN is proprietor of Marc Rosen Fine Art, Ltd.

Review

Maine Antique Digest"

America"

"This large and nicely presented catalog of prints and drawings by Cassatt offers an informative array of works. The accompanying essays are succinct and helpful . . . This is a worthwhile, fully annotated resource book." --Maine Antique Digest

"For those who appreciate the process of ideas taking shape, the sketches and drawings and stages that lead up to a painting more than the final work itself, this book is a special delight."--America

This large and nicely presented catalog of prints and drawings by Cassatt offers an informative array of works. The accompanying essays are succinct and helpful . . . This is a worthwhile, fully annotated resource book.-- "Maine Antique Digest"

For those who appreciate the process of ideas taking shape, the sketches and drawings and stages that lead up to a painting more than the final work itself, this book is a special delight.-- "America"

About this edition

• Publisher: Adelson Galleries and Marc Rosen Fine Art
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 0974162183
• ISBN 13: 9780974162188
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 164