Close Reading of Young Mother Sewing

Young Mother Sewing

By Mary Cassatt

Step One: When I first looked at this picture, I obviously picked out the two characters depicted. A young mother who is sewing, as described in the name of the painting, and a young girl leaning on her lap. The artist makes these two characters the main focus in the picture, but also includes a background with a forest scene outside the window and a flower pot on the table. 
Step Two: Things that stuck out when I viewed this painting were the bright colors of the flowers, the bold stripes of the woman's dress, the child's expression and the window in the background. The woman is depicted as concentrating on her sewing, not paying any attention to the child. The child looks impatient or bored, waiting for the mother to give her the attention she needs. 
Step Three: The bold stripes on the woman's dress and the angles that seem to focus attention to the center of the painting have an important purpose. They were used to draw the viewer to the focus point, the two people in the painting. It is as if you are being shielded off from looking at the background. The soft colors of the mother and child are contrasted by the bold flowers and the strong green of beyond the window. The child's eyes seem to be speaking in a way, looking into the viewer's eyes. 
Step Four: I believe the artist chose the bold stripes to draw in the viewer, pointing out the woman sitting inside doing women's work. I believe she is celebrating or displaying the fact that women are worth while and deserve to be given recognition. She does not want people focused on the background, because that is outside and women were meant to stay inside. She doesn't want to focus on the fact that they are stuck inside, but on the positive things they accomplish while inside. The bright flowers seem to show that life indoors can be joyful and colorful. It doesn't have to be gloomy and seem like a prison. I think the child is looking into the viewer's eyes because she is wanting someone to talk to or play with. She is curious about the outside world but her mother makes her stay indoors with her.