Tag writer: Michele Wick, Psychology Imagine the texture of
skirt fabric rubbing against tiny feet, the sweet smell of
grass, or the delight of looking at a resplendent blue shirt.
Sensory experiences are a vital part of who we are; they are
building blocks of a growing brain. Countless occurrences, like
the intimate play we see in Cassatt’s print, help shape the
contours of pliant neural networks. The child may not remember
this exact moment, the feel of the woman’s secure grasp, the
pleasure of gazing in her eyes, or the sound of her breath.
Nevertheless, they have left their imprint on a blossoming mind.
Image Information: Mary Cassatt, American (1844–1926). Under the
Horse Chestnut Tree , 1895. Drypoint and aquatint printed in
blue, green, yellow, brown and flesh on paper. Sheet: 18 13/16 x
14 3/8 in.; 47.7838 x 36.5125 cm; plate: 16 1/8 x 11 3/8 in.;
40.9575 x 28.8925 cm. Bequest of Helen Haase