Artist
Mary Cassatt (American,1844–1926, active France)American,1844–1926, active France
CultureFrench
Titles
- Susan Comforting the Baby
Datec. 1881
PlaceFrance
MediumOil on canvas
Dimensions25 5/8 × 39 3/8 inches (65.1 × 100 cm)
Credit LineJohn A. and Audrey Jones Beck Collection, gift of Audrey Jones Beck
Object number74.136
Current Location
The Audrey Jones Beck Building
222 Beck Galleries
On view
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Department
European Art, Beck CollectionSpecial Collections
Object Type
[1] In a copy of a typed letter, dated 10 May 1983, to Mary-Margaret Goggin, Adelyn D. Breeskin at the National Museum of American Art (Smithsonian Institution) suggests that Vollard acquired this painting around 1904, “when Vollard began to buy many of Cassatt’s pastels in order to make counterproofs of them.” [MFAH object file-accessed by Robert McD. Parker, April 2024.] Indeed, the Vollard archives note at least three pastels that the dealer acquired from the artist on 1 June 1904. [See Base Vollard. Fonds d’Archives de la Galerie Ambroise Vollard, Paris, Documentation du Musée d’Orsay (MS 421 (4,5) consulted by Robert McD. Parker, October 2024.].
[2] The verso of the canvas bears a stamp that reads: “Ambroise Vollard / 28, rue de Martignac.”
[3] An undated image of this work entitled in English, as “Susan Comforting the Baby,” appears in the Vollard archives as “cliché no. 104.” [See Base Vollard. Fonds d’Archives de la Galerie Ambroise Vollard, Paris, Documentation du Musée d’Orsay (ODO 1996 56-6634) consulted by Robert McD. Parker, October 2024.].
[4] An additional reference in the Vollard archives indicated the loan of this painting to the 1912 exhibition to Manzi, Joyant & Cie, Paris. [See Base Vollard. Fonds d’Archives de la Galerie Ambroise Vollard, Paris, Documentation du Musée d’Orsay (MS 421 (2,3) consulted by Robert McD. Parker, October 2024.]. The “Exposition d’art moderne” ran from June 6-July 6, 1912. Eighteen works (cat. nos. 82-99) by Cassatt, including paintings and pastels, are listed in the exhibition catalogue. Of the paintings, the present work is most likely cat. no. 84 “Mère et Enfant.” This corresponds to the illustration showing the exhibition installation of the Cassatt works with accompanying titles that was featured in Arsène Alexandre’s review in August 1912 issue of Les Arts (see p. XV of the review, as cited above.)
[5] As cited, works from Vollard’s collection were shown at Knoedler Galleries, New York in 1933. Mary Cassatt’s painting “Mère et enfant,” was recorded as cat. no. 2 with the given dimensions: 24 ¾ x 38 7/8 inches.
[6] The exact date of acquisition is unknown.
[7] Copies of multiple correspondence from the Howard Young Galleries, New York, to John A. Beck in July 1965 indicate the gallery acted as an agent for this international transaction. Neither the name of the selling agent in Paris, nor the former owner(s) of the work are identified. [MFAH object file-accessed by Robert McD. Parker, April 2024.]
Exhibition HistoryExhibited: Paris, Hôtel de la Revue, "Exposition de l'Art Moderne à L'Hôtel de la Revue", 1912.
Exhibited: New York, M. Knoedler and Co., "Great Paintings from the Ambroise Vollard Collection," 1933, no. 2.
Exhibited: "Faces of Impressionism," Organized by the Baltimore Museum of Art. At the Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore, Maryland, October 10, 1999 - January 3, 2000; The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, March 25 - May 7, 2000, and the Cleveland Museum of Art, May 28 - July 30, 2000 (LN:99.4). Exhibited at the Houston venue only. Exhibition catalogue.
Exhibited: "American Painters in the Age of Impressionism", The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas. December 4, 1994 - March 26, 1995. Exhibition catalogue published, MFAH.
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks
Verso: Inscribed on the upper horizontal stretcher: 12[illegible]064; inscribed on the center stretcher, in blue: Lot no. 2; inscribed on the lower horizontal stretcher: 1484; inscribed on the vertical stretcher, top center: F886
Verso: Stamped in ink on canvas: Ambroise Vollard / 28, rue de Martignac [encircled]
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Giovanni di Paolo
c. 1455–1460
Tempera and gold leaf on panel
44.571
