Mary Cassatt

Although born in Pennsylvania, Mary Cassatt lived much of her adult life in Paris, where she became friends with Edward Degas and eventually established herself as an accomplished Impressionist painter. In the second half of the 19th century, American and French societies frowned on the idea of a woman making a career -- especially as a painter. Although blunt and outspoken, Cassatt's paintings -- many of which are available on art posters and prints -- display underlying tenderness, and her favorite theme or subject was mother and child (A Child's Bath 1893; Maternal Kiss 1896). In recent years, some of her work has sold for as much as $3 million dollars.