Focus on The Boating Party and discuss the Influences.
Cassatt conceived the painting while looking out at the Mediterranean landscape from La Cigaronne, where she noted that “the country is too beautiful, it grows wearisome” and that the people of Antibes were not beautiful enough for her to draw inspiration from. The art historian Adelyn Breeskin notes that Impressionism, Japanese printmaking, and Correggio’s Madonna and Child all shaped the style of The Boating Party. The vibrancy of the woman and child, as well as the boat and sea, are indicative of this Impressionist emphasis on bright colors based on plein air observation. The cropped view of the boat and the asymmetrical composition also suggest the influence of Ukiyo-e prints, which interested Cassatt. In 1890, Cassatt had visited the great Japanese Print exhibition at the École de Beaux-arts in Paris. Mary Cassatt owned Japanese prints by Kitagawa Utamaro (1753–1806). The exhibition at Durand-Ruel of Japanese art proved the most important influence on Cassatt. Cassatt's depiction of the woman and child was also inspired by Antonio da Correggio, who used a soft, natural style to depict his Madonna and Child paintings.
Frederick A. Sweet suggests that Cassatt may have been inspired by Édouard Manet's Boating from 1874.Boating was exhibited at the Impressionist Exhibition of 1879, where it was not well received. Cassatt however, convinced her friend Louisine Havemeyer to buy it.
Antibes Louisine Havemeyer Mary Cassatt Édouard Manet Durand-Ruel