Mary Cassatt - "The Cup of Tea" 1879
Mary Cassatt - "The Cup of Tea" 1879 (92.4 x 65.4 cm (36 3/8 x 25 3/4 in.)
“The Cup of Tea” is a painting by Mary Cassatt, an oil on canvas painting that illustrates a woman with a cup of tea, she is seen in a serene environment enjoying her privacy and time. Looking into Mary Cassatt is an American artist who spent much of her career in France, and was deeply influenced by the impressionist movement during the time. Her artworks embody many of the impressionistic style. The painting is adorned with beautiful pastel colors and the brushwork is more loose and thick compared to earlier works of art. This piece particularly stands out to me because of its brilliant composition. The composition is able to draw my eyes straight to the vocal point of the painting. The painting depicts a woman seated at a table as she holds a cup of tea in front of her as she peacefully enjoys the peace and quiet. The setting is intimate and evokes a sense of stillness in the environment, her posture and expression suggest that she is lost in her thoughts in her own mind away from the bustling of daily life. The scene feels immediate like many other impressionist paintings; it feels like it is capturing a fleeting moment. The scene feels private, it makes the viewer feel as if they are intruding in on a very private scene.
The soft warm tones on the woman’s dress pulls the viewer's eyes to the painting while the cool tones of the background draws the background into depth. The loose visible brushstrokes of the painting is a masterful impressionistic application of color that emphasizes the quick and delicate moment in time. The act of drinking tea is symbolic, it is simplistic, an everyday gesture captured as if it was a masterpiece. In Cassatt’s work it becomes a metaphor for modern life and the woman is placed within it. The tea ceremony, in its quite new form, offers a subtle commentary on the lives of women during this period; women at the time did not have a lot of freedom. The painted scene reflects on the personal and private moments that are often overlooked at the time. The challenge of portraying a woman in such a passive scene is different from women that are often portrayed in a men’s gaze. She is in control of her own space, enjoying a moment of personal introspection. The subtlety of Cassatt’s color choices also enhances the emotional depth of the piece. The soft, pastel colors of the woman’s dress and the surrounding space create an atmosphere of calm and quiet contemplation.
This painting exemplifies Cassatt’s ability to capture the quiet, fleeting moments that make up daily life. Like the Impressionists, she was less concerned with fine detail and more interested in showing the emotion and atmosphere of a moment. “The Cup of Tea” serves as a subtle yet powerful commentary on the social roles and quiet independence of women during the late 19th century. It is a painting of strength and delicate beauty, showing a woman at ease in her own space. “Would you have liked to enjoy a cup of tea with the woman?
Mary Cassatt - "The Cup of Tea" 1879 (92.4 x 65.4 cm (36 3/8 x 25 3/4 in.)
