On a Balcony

Museum record 26650: On a Balcony by Mary Cassatt. A verified entry point for discovery.

What to notice

For On a Balcony (record 26650), start with modern, expressive, atmospheric. Compare the focal subject, edge treatment, and atmosphere before moving on.

Discover

Shown at the 1880 Impressionist exhibition, On a Balcony depicts a woman in a private garden surrounded by flowers rendered in energetic brushstrokes of red, blue, yellow, and pink. Mary Cassatt focused on the activities of middle- and upper-class women in society—from public outings like the theater to domestic settings such as this one. Here, the blue rail of the balcony, visible near the top of the painting, defines the enclosed space of a garden, and the sitter’s morning dress further indicates the i…