Adventures in Art History Art Adventures    

Lesson 17: The Child's Bath

by Mary Cassatt

Directions

Study the painting for one week.

Over the week:

• Look at the painting.
• Read the synopsis.
• Study the vocabulary words.
• Read about the artist.
• Practice reciting the names of the artist and the painting.
• Complete the enrichment activities.
• Study the review questions.

Synopsis

Mary Cassatt's 'The Child's Bath' shows a woman bathing a child. The towel-draped child sits on the woman's lap. The woman wraps one hand around the child's waist and gently washes the child's foot with the other hand in a basin of water. A white pitcher rests nearby. Like Van Gogh, Cassatt was influenced by Japanese art and prints. In this picture, an oriental rug is visible.

Vocabulary

Draped: Arrange (cloth or clothing) loosely or casually on or around something.
Gentle: Kind or tender.
Basin: A bowl for washing.
Pitcher: A container with a handle and a lip, used for holding and pouring liquids.
Oriental: Characteristic of East Asia.
Rug: A floor covering of thick woven material or animal skin, typically not extending over the entire floor.

Concepts

Mary Cassatt painted 'The Child's Bath.'

1. Mary Cassatt was born in 1844 in Pennsylvania. See her self-portrait below.

2. Find Cassatt's state of birth (PA) on the map of the continental United States below.

3. As an adult, Mary Cassatt spent much of her time in France. Find France on the map of Europe below.

4. Cassatt captured moments in the lives of ordinary women and children, often featuring the bond between mother and child.
5. She painted in a style called 'Impressionism.' Impressionism originated in France in the 19th century.
6. Rather than rendering detailed, precise images, impressionists used visible brush strokes of different colors to create a gauzy 'impression' of scenes from everyday life.
7. Cassatt died in 1926 at the age of 82 in Paris, France.

Enrichment

Activity 1: Can You Find It?

During the week, study the painting and find the following:

• Woman
• Child
• Pitcher
• Basin
• Water
• Rug

Activity 2: Narrate the Painting

• After studying the painting, narrate the scene shown in the painting aloud using your own words.

Activity 3: Complete Vocabulary Activities

• While studying the vocabulary words, point them out in the painting.
• Define each of the vocabulary words in your own words.

Activity 4: Color the Painting   

• Click the crayon above, and complete page 23 of 'Kindergarten Art History Coloring Book.'

Review

Question 1

Who are the characters in the painting?

1 / 4

Answer 1

A woman and a little girl.

1 / 4

Question 2

What is the setting of the painting?

2 / 4

Answer 2

Inside, probably a room in a house.

2 / 4

Question 3

What is the woman doing?

3 / 4

Answer 3

Washing the little girl's feet in water.

3 / 4

Question 4

What type of container is the woman using to wash the little girl's feet?

4 / 4

Answer 4

The woman is using a basin to wash the little girl's feet.

4 / 4

❮ ❯

1. Who are the characters in the painting? A woman and a little girl.
2. What is the setting of the painting? Inside, probably a room in a house.
3. What is the woman doing? Washing the little girl's feet in water.
4. What type of container is the woman using to wash the little girl's feet? The woman is using a basin to wash the little girl's feet.

References

'Mary Cassatt.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.