Mary Cassatt and Edgar Degas

Alongside her peers Marie Bracquemond and Berthe Morisot - American born artist Mary Cassatt is often cited as one of "les trois grandes dames" (i.e the three great ladies) of Impressionism.

With works predominately inspired by the social and private lives of women in the 19th century - she was something of a latecomer to the Impressionist circle, but would still go on to exhibit in at least half of their group shows between 1874 and 1886.

And throughout these years in Paris, one of the key influence on her career was fellow artist Edgar Degas - the immensely talented, yet fiercely independent painter, who was also part of this “Impressionist” group too (despite the fact that Degas himself positively hated the term!).

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In fact, Mary Cassatt was just about the only artist Edgar Degas seems to have consistently gotten along well with - probably due to her slightly more traditional ideals of being a figurative painter rather than fully embracing “en plein air” or outdoor painting (Which was one of many elements around the Impressionist movement that Degas detested!)

So in today’s article, I thought it would be fun for us to share a few of the best paintings which show just how close of a connection Mary Cassatt shared with Edgar Degas.

As far as we know - Cassatt and Degas were never romantically involved.

But as soul mates in the more platonic sense, the two of them clearly had a very special connection.

From their similar strength of character and self-sufficiency, to an unwavering devotion to their own artistic ideals and a deep distaste for others telling them what to do . . . frankly it is no wonder the two of them never really risked a romance, as it would no doubt have quite quickly ended in a spectacular falling-out.

Yet still, when it came to simply sharing a friendship, and meeting on a level of artistic connection - these two could hardly have been better suited for each other.

Thus, when Degas increasingly found himself painting the lives of ballerinas or nights at the theatre in general. . . it is no wonder that Mary also found a great deal of fertile creative ground in these very same subjects too.

And as we can see, the similarities in subject and overall painting style are really striking.

In fact, it can sometimes seem that these works are almost like a direct conversation between the artist- despite the fact that they were made years apart, and completely independently of each other.

Yet while Degas generally seeks to take us right into the thick of the action - as if we ourselves are among the performers too . . . Mary tends to prefer placing us as part of the audience instead. (At a time when the theatre was one of the few public spaces that were genuinely accessible for women to socialise)

But make no mistake - the creative influence between the two of them was never just a one way thing.

Of course, Mary (as the younger artist by ten years) clearly gained a lot from Degas’ mentorship and ongoing influence. Yet, equally, the older artist clearly respected and learnt a lot from Mary’s art too. (Even if he was rather loath to admit it at times!)

The height of their collaboration was around the years of 1879 and 1880 - when they both rented studio spaces which a mere five minute walk from each other.

And though their careers did eventually move in different directions . . . still, the two artists would remain in touch for the rest of their life.

In fact, in Degas’ latter years - when he withdrew from the majority of his former friends, while becoming increasingly moody and difficult to get along with - Mary remained one of the only people to still regularly visit him, right up until his death in 1917.

So, who knows; perhaps even into their final meetings, the two of them would still have been discussing ideas together - or simply reminiscing over all those beautiful times they had shared at the theatre together.

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