Op een balkon

Mary Cassatt’s On a Balcony is a tender and intimate scene that captures a young woman in a quiet moment of reflection, seated on a balcony overlooking a garden or pastoral landscape. The composition is both dynamic and serene, with the figure positioned in the foreground, framed by subtle architectural details of the railing and the sweeping greenery beyond. Cassatt’s mastery of Impressionist techniques is evident in her loose, expressive brushstrokes, which breathe life into the dappled play of sunlight and shadow across the scene. The delicate pastel palette—soft greens, gentle blues, and warm peach tones—evokes a sense of calm and lightness, pulling the viewer into the tranquil atmosphere of the moment.

Created during the height of her association with the Impressionist movement, the painting reflects Cassatt’s focus on domestic and private spaces, particularly the lives of women. Set against a backdrop of late 19th-century societal norms, this work portrays not only the quiet dignity of women’s interior lives but also a subtle sense of individuality and self-presence. The balcony, a symbol of both openness and separation, hints at the societal boundaries women navigated during this period.

As you gaze at On a Balcony, its luminous colors and serene composition invite you to pause and relish the beauty of fleeting, introspective moments, offering both visual pleasure and emotional resonance.

Mary Cassatt (1844–1926) was an influential American artist renowned for her significant contributions to the Impressionist movement, particularly her focus on the intimate lives of women and children. Born in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, she studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts before moving to Paris to further her training, defying societal expectations for women of her time.

Cassatt became the only American artist officially associated with the French Impressionists, a group that included luminaries such as Edgar Degas, who became both her mentor and close friend. Her work is characterized by loose, expressive brushstrokes, an emphasis on light and color, and a profound exploration of private, everyday moments. She boldly celebrated the roles of women, presenting them not as decorative symbols but as thoughtful, engaged individuals.

Throughout her career, Cassatt faced significant challenges, from societal constraints on women artists to the difficulty of establishing herself in a male-dominated art world. Nevertheless, her perseverance cemented her place in art history. Her painting On a Balcony exemplifies her mastery of composition, her sensitivity to intimate human interactions, and her ability to capture fleeting moments with emotional depth. Today, Mary Cassatt is celebrated as a pioneering figure who expanded the possibilities of women's representation in art.

The bright Parisian daylight filters softly onto the canvas of On a Balcony, a captivating Impressionist piece by Mary Cassatt. Known for her intimate depictions of women and children, Cassatt explores a new perspective here, extending her gaze outward to an open-air scene on a sunlit balcony. This work showcases her distinctive approach to realism infused with the fleeting qualities of light—a hallmark of the Impressionist movement.

Cassatt employs a loose, yet deliberate brushstroke technique, capturing the ephemeral nature of the atmosphere with extraordinary precision. The figures in the scene are delicately rendered but intentionally unsentimental, reflecting her ability to infuse emotional resonance without veering into overt idealization. The composition balances the personal and the observational, as the casual posture of the subjects contrasts with the structured geometry of the balcony's architectural framework.

Executed during her mature period, this painting illustrates Cassatt’s mastery of light’s interplay on texture and form. Her technique demonstrates influences from Japanese printmaking, evidenced in the flattened perspective and strong use of patterns. This stylistic innovation—an adaptation of traditional Impressionist light play with graphic clarity—marked Cassatt’s evolution as an artist. By harmonizing domestic intimacy with Impressionist aesthetics, she cemented her role as a critical bridge between personal narrative and avant-garde technique in 19th-century art.

An Artuoso canvas is more than a painting:

It is a museum-worthy work of art that you can display at home. Our high-quality art prints on canvas, such as ‘Op een balkon’ by Mary Cassatt, are mounted in a stylish aluminium frame. This allows you to easily change the canvas and adapt your interior to your mood or season. With Artuoso, you bring the most famous and emerging works of art into your home, which guarantees quality and rich storytelling.