We look slightly down onto a young woman sitting at a writing desk as she licks an envelope in this vertical, color print. A table folds down or extends from a tall secretary desk to our right. The blotter on the table and the woman’s long dress are both navy blue. The dress has a vaguely floral pattern in tan, and the jacket is open to reveal a vertically pleated, tan shirt beneath. The woman’s skin is pale peach. Her black hair is pulled back over dark brows and a delicate nose. She holds the open flap of the envelope to her mouth with both hands. The rest of the room is white with a few lines to indicate a corner and a chair. The artist signed the print under the lower right corner, “Mary Cassatt etat.” Another graphite inscription in the lower left corner of the sheet is indecipherable.
Artwork Details
- Date
- 1890-1891
- Medium
- color drypoint, softground etching, and aquatint on laid paper
- Dimensions
- 759 × 1200 px
- Public Domain
- Yes
- Museum Record
- View original