Woman in Raspberry Costume Holding a Dog
Classification
Drawing
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, Gift of Joseph H. Hirshhorn, 1972
Accession Number
72.60
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Jh Purchased From Parke-bernet Galleries, New York 1966
Art Historical Context
Mary Cassatt’s “Woman in Raspberry Costume Holding a Dog,” created around 1901, captures the quiet elegance of everyday life that defined much of her work. An American artist who spent most of her career in France, Cassatt became a key figure in the Impressionist movement, celebrated for her sensitive portrayals of women and children. This drawing, now part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s collection, reflects her ongoing interest in intimate domestic moments even late in her career. Classified simply as a drawing, the work offers a glimpse into Cassatt’s exploratory process. Drawings allowed her to experiment with composition and gesture in a more immediate way than her better-known paintings and prints. The subject—a woman in a striking raspberry-colored outfit accompanied by a small dog—hints at themes of leisure and companionship that recur throughout her oeuvre. Acquired by the Hirshhorn Museum through the generosity of Joseph H. Hirshhorn, the piece invites viewers to appreciate Cassatt’s skill in conveying personality and atmosphere with economical means. Its presence in a national collection underscores her lasting influence on American art.