The Lamp, 1890-1891. The theme of a bourgeois woman "at home," coiffed and dressed to greet visitors, was a familiar one in Cassatt’s work, utilized in compositions such as Mimi as a Brunette. The position of the model as seen from behind may reflect the consideration of the nape of a woman’s neck as the ultimate symbol of beauty and eroticism in Japan.

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Size: 3223px × 5071px
Photo credit: © Heritage Art/Heritage Images / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: 1844-1926, 19th, america, american, aquatint, art, cassatt, century, cleveland, drypoint, etching, heritage, mary, museum, print, softground