Mary Cassatt was a impressionist printmaker and painter from Allegheny City; what is now Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Like most children in her town, growing up in a wealthy family allowed Mary to travel overseas as part of her studies at the young of 6 years old. While abroad, Mary was fortunately introduced to art through her schooling at an early age. As Mary studied the German and French language while in France, she also had lessons in art. At 11 years old, during the annual Paris Worlds Fair in 1855, Mary was privileged enough to meet artists Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, Eugene Delacroix, Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, and Gustave Courbet. As Mary grew older and her knowledge of art expanded she became exposed to French impressionist artists that inspired her all throughout her young adulthood. After Returning to the United States she continued to practice art and painting despite the objection of her father. At the tender age of 15 without the support of her parents, Mary enrolled in the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and continued her studies all throughout the American Civil War. Though Mary found great joy when studying and creating art, she left the academy because of the school's misogynistic views. In the year 1866 Mary was offered the opportunity to be flown to Paris to live and create great paintings. Like the P.A. Academy of Fine Arts, misogyny was no stranger to French art schools and many women weren't allowed to study at all. Because of Mary's determination to become a thriving impressionist painter she sought after art masters to study under. For years Mary studied her craft, making no profit whatsoever but her undying passion for creating art remained. Because Mary was a devout feminist, the vast majority of her paintings depicted strong women in their public or private lives; more often mothers nurturing their young children. There is no denying Mary Cassatt's influence on future female painters and despite the many obstacles she faced, she remained true to herself and the perfect feminist role model.
