Similarities Between Degas And Cassas

Upon the death of Edgar Degas, Mary Cassatt’s piece in his collection Girl Arranging her Hair was believed to be the work of Degas due to the similarity in style and technique. The two artists closely worked in Paris for years, fostering a strong connection built on their similarities in style, inspiration, and friendly interactions. After meeting in 1877 their relationship continued to grow as they exhibited with the Impressionists, visited exhibitions and museums, and influenced each other’s art. The two were never more than friends. However, due to the lack of primary sources, fiction accounts, such as Robin Oliveira’s I Have Always Loved You, assume that the two must have been romantically involved. Fiction has depicted Degas and Cassatt

Oliveira writes a fictional scene in which Degas is critiquing Cassatt’s piece and explains how she can improve the background. Cassatt’s response is, “I literally can’t.” An incredibly defeated phrase. From there in the novel, Degas rapidly fixes the background in eight lines and Cassatt is grateful for his help, “Thank you, Monsieur Degas,” she says. Oliveira casts Cassatt as reliant on Degas for his knowledge and expertise by implying she would not have been able to improve her painting if Degas had not been there. Oliveira makes no accounts of Cassatt using her expertise to help Degas. However, in reality, the two artists used their skills and acquaintance to influence the others and form a similar look together. Historical accounts provide knowledge that in terms of style both artists believed in the “mastery of line and solid draughtsmanship,” had a mutual enjoyment and inspiration from Japanese Art and shared a similarity between their pieces at the Impressionist exhibit in the spring of 1979. A critic at the time of the exhibit claimed, “Both have a lively sense of the fragmented lighting in Paris apartments; both find unique nuances of color to render the flesh tints of women fatigued by late nights

In 1915, the Loan Exhibition of Masterpieces by Old and Modern Painters displayed Degas and Cassatt together. In a letter to Havemeyer, Cassatt revealed her thoughts and feelings about exhibiting next to Degas, “I am surprised at the coolness I show at thinking of exhibiting with Degas alone, but one thing Louie, I can show that I don’t copy him in this age of copying.” Cassatt never had the intention of duplicating the style of Degas and believes she forms her style on her own. So, while Oliveira is accurate in her fictional account that Degas helped build Cassatt’s expertise, it is forgotten that Cassatt aided Degas in growing his skill set as well, thus showing in actuality, the two artists developed a similar style