Another beach-themed puzzle from a major American artist whose works should be featured more in jigsaw puzzle catalogs. Cassatt, who lived most of her adult life in France, was one of only four females who were considered to be members of the Impressionists - the other three being Berthe Morisot, Eva Gonzalès, and Marie Bracquemond.
From the bottom of the box:
Children Playing on the Beach (1884) by Mary Cassatt, American (1844-1926).
At a time when most women, especially wealthy ones, did not usually pursue careers, Mary Cassatt decided to become an artist. Born to a prominent Pittsburgh family, she attended the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia, and then at the age of twenty-two, she went abroad. Traveling extensively on the continent, Cassatt studied the old masters in European museums. She settled in Paris in 1874. Although she had had several paintings chosen for exhibition at the tradition-bound French Salon, Miss Cassatt was actually in agreement with the aims of the avant-garde painters. She was delighted when, in 1877, Edgar Degas invited her to join the progressive group of artists popularly known as the impressionists. "At last I could work with absolute independence without considering the opinion of a jury," she later explained. "I had already recognized who were my true masters. I admired Manet, Courbet, and Degas. I hated conventional art - I began to live." Soon, a close working relationship began to develop between Cassatt and Degas. From similar upper-class backgrounds, the two painters enjoyed a friendship based on common artistic interests and a devotion to realistically portrayed, contemporary subject matter.
In spite of the fact that she never married nor had children of her own, Mary Cassatt produced almost exclusively pictures of women and children. These were usually inspired by friends, neighbors, and members of her own family. In January, 1884, the artist's mother, who had been living with her in Paris, needed a change of climate because of her health. So, Mary took her to Spain; this may be the locale of Children Playing on the Beach.
The painting makes clear one of Cassatt's special talents - her unsurpassed ability to capture the natural attitudes of children. Two little girls, seated on the sand with pails and shovel, are shown engrossed in a universal childhood pastime. Their total absorption in their play is suggested by the intent expression on one child's face, the angles of their heads, and the set of their shoulders. Especially appealing is the childishly awkward way in which the toddler on the left grasps the long handle of her shovel and holds the rim of the bucket with the other pudgy hand.
Edgar Degas encouraged this kind of unaffected naturalness in his friend's work. Degas also encouraged Cassatt's love of form, abhorrence of useless detail, and strong sense of design. In this way, both artists differed from their impressionist friends, who were more concerned with recording random effects of light. In Children Playing on the Beach, Cassatt's sure brushstrokes carefully follow the forms of the girls' arms, legs, and heads, generating an almost tangible sense of solidity. Set against a very generalized background of sand, sea, and sky, these large, rounded figures possess an enticing immediacy. But as casual and unplanned as the image might seem, it was carefully worked out and based on years of training. Miss Cassatt purposely emphasized the play of pattern by repeating the dark frocks and stockings which accent the white pinafores. She achieved variation by the opposing positions of the similarly dressed figures and the unexpected contrast between an almost full view of one child's face and a back view of the other's head. For visual balance, the straw hat with a big red ribbon provides a foil to the tousled hair and engaging face of the younger girl.
The lack of unimportant detail, the interest in pattern, as well as the slightly elevated angle of vision all seem to have been inspired by Japanese woodcuts. Both Degas and Cassatt had long been admirers of the bold style in such prints, and by the time this picture was produced, both artists had begun to use Oriental compositional devices. In Mary Cassatt's later work, this influence becomes even more pronounced. Ultimately, then, the abiding appeal of Mary Cassatt's painting is the result of her ability to capture natural attitudes and to produce masterful compositions.
An imaginative random cut style by Battle Road Press makes this a very attractive finished picture. Not at all difficult but an engaging puzzle to work on. Battle Road Press puzzles are perfect for the summer months when I have limited free time and want to work on a puzzle that takes no more time than watching a typical movie.
Completed in 1 hr., 38 mins. with no box reference. 568 total pieces: 10.4 secs./piece; 347.8 pcs./hr. Difficulty rating: 1.0/10.
