Mary Cassatt (1845-1926) American artist who enrolled
at the age of 15 at the Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts.
From 1890-1910 she was very productive focusing primarily
on portraits of mothers and children. She gave up painting
with the outbreak of World War I.

The turn of the century in America brought a resurgence
in feelings for the importance of the child. Books and
citizen groups were part of that change. In 1897, The
National Congress of Mothers, a network of Mother's
Clubs was organized and had 2000 delegates. By 1900
the Congress included some 190,000 women from some
36 states. On their agenda was get the nation to
"recognize the supreme importance of the child."

Little Girl in Blue Armchair, an oil on canvas composition,
is believed to have been completed in 1876. The little girl,
clearly pouting or for some reason out of sorts, was the
daughter of a friend of Degas. Degas had a great influence
on Mary Cassatt's art and career through their freindship
and correspondence.