•Artist: Mary Cassatt

                                                              • Title: Denise at Her Dressing Table

                                                              • Date: 1908-1909

                                                              • Medium: Oil on canvas

                                                              • Provenance: America

                                                              • Source: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/

                                                                 2005.129

                                                              • Description: a woman sitting down, a handheld mirror, a

                                                                circular mirror on the wall, a robe

                                                              • Analysis: The use of line helps show the drapery of the

                                                                robe. The contrast of the pale woman and her light robe 

                                                                against the dark grey background help emphasize her and 

                                                                make her the main focus. The thick strokes used help give 

                                                                the piece texture. The subject is in the center of this work

                                                                so it is symmetrical and balanced.

• Interpretation: I believe the artist used the line to help show the drapery of the robe to give off 

   some sort of elegance to the woman. The contrast between the negative and positive space puts

   emphasis on the lady. Her posture looks very natural and she is not dressed up and this could 

   mean that the artist was trying to capture how beauty can be simple. The texture smooths the 

   piece out and makes it all connect together and that could suggest the feeling of calmness or 

   tiredness.

• Judgment: I think this is a nice piece and I like how the lady's hair matches the wood around the 

   mirror on the wall. Her face and posture makes her look very relaxed and easy-going. Though it 

   isn't very visually interesting, i do still feel drawn to it and I feel that the artist has been successful 

   in communicating the message of this work.

Daily Life