Provenance
Durand-Ruel, New York, by 1936 [Baltimore 1936 exh. cat.]. International Galleries, Chicago, by 1965 [Chicago 1965 exh. cat.]. Sold by International Galleries to the Art Institute, 1967.
Accession Number
27045
Medium
Graphite and strike-through from soft ground offset, on paper
Dimensions
27.9 × 21.2 cm (11 × 8 3/8 in.)
Classification
graphite
Credit Line
Margaret Day Blake Collection
Background & Context
Background Story
Mary Cassatt's The Corner of the Sofa (c. 1879) is a graphite drawing with strike-through from soft ground offset on paper. This drawing shows a figure seated in the corner of a sofa, probably a woman, captured in a moment of relaxation. The graphite technique is sensitive and refined, the lines capturing the figure and the furnishings with the economy and grace characteristic of Cassatt's draftsmanship. The strike-through from soft ground offset shows the connection between this drawing and Cassatt's printmaking practice.
Cultural Impact
Cassatt's drawings of domestic interiors are central to her contribution to Impressionism, capturing the private world of women in the late 19th century.
Why It Matters
This drawing of a figure in the corner of a sofa captures the quiet intimacy of domestic life, Cassatt's refined line and sensitive handling creating an image of serene grace.
