Mary Cassatt (American, 1844–1926), Little Girl in a Blue Armchair, 1878
Oil on canvas, 89.5 × 129.8 cm (35 1/4 × 51 1/8 in.), National Gallery of Art, Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon, 1983.1.18.
Cassatt was known for her sensitive depictions of children. Rather than showing them as miniature adults, she painted them as individuals with moods and personalities. This relatable little girl was the daughter of friends of painter Edgar Degas. (Degas himself was a friend of Cassatt’s.)
Cassatt captures the girl in a moment of rest, sprawling across a chair. Is she tired from play? Has an adult told her to behave? Or is she bored? Whatever happened, her pouty expression and slouched body language suggest that she has her own opinions on the matter.