The Banjo Lesson

Mary Cassatt

National Gallery of Art

This print shows two women sitting together. The woman in the front is seated, holding a banjo, with her body turned to us and her face looking to the right. The neck of the banjo points to the right. The woman in front has dark hair styled neatly behind her head, dark eyebrows, long eyelashes, and lips set in a neutral expression. She is wearing a long-sleeved dress with puffy teal sleeves, a white and light blue striped bodice, and a light blue skirt with pink polka dots, with a yellow scarf around her neck. Her arms are positioned around the banjo. The second woman sits behind her, her hands on the banjo player's shoulders, watching her play. This woman has lighter colored hair with short bangs, and wears a light pink dress. She appears younger than the other woman. Both of them have pale yellow skin. The background is plain beige paper.