tist of sufficiently general appeal
to be understood at once. She is not merely intelligent, but
intelligible; her art has no cryptic side. It is only the initiated
frequenter of galleries who will pause to reflect how tremendously it
costs to be so clear and plain.

In her etchings and drawings Miss Cassatt early arrived at freedom of
handling. The more responsive medium gave her an opportunity to produce
delightful studies of domestic life while she was still far from having
attained an easy control of pigment and brush. Her dry-points, pulled
under her own direction and enriched with flat tints of color, are
interesting and expressive, rich in line and large and full in modeling.
The color was not, however, wholly an improving experiment. Under the
friendly influence of time it may become an element of beauty, since in
no case is it either commonplace or crude, but in its newness it lacks
something of both delicacy and depth. The later etchings without color
are more nearly completely satisfying. The three charming
interpretations of children recently sent over to this country are full
of freshness and life, and are admirable examples of the brilliant use
of pure line. The attitude of the child in the etching reproduced here
is, indeed, quite an extraordinary feat of richness of expression with
economy of means. The heavy little head sagging against the tense arm,
the small, childish neck and thin shoulder are insisted upon just
sufficiently to render the mood of light weariness, and the little
face, full of individuality, is tenderly observed and modeled with
feeling. The psychological bent of the artist, her interest in the
portrayal of mental and moral qualities, is nowhere more clearly
revealed than in her drawings of children. She has never been content to
reproduce merely the physical plasticity and delicacy of infancy, but
has shown in her joyous babies and dreamy little girls at least the
potentiality of strong wills and clear minds. Great diversity of
character and temperament are displayed in the expressive curves of the
plump young faces, and the eyes, in particular, questioning, exultant,
wondering, reflective or merry, betray a penetrating and subtle insight
into the dawning personality under observation.

[Illustration: From the Wilstach Collection, Philadelphia.

ON THE BALCONY

_From a painting by Mary Cassatt_]

One of her earliest works recently has been added to the Wilstach
collection in Phi