Throughout history, visual art has been used as medium through which artists are able to express personal opinions as well political ideologies. It is clear, however, that opinions, as well as the way in which those opinions are presented to the public, vary greatly depending on the gender of the artist. The works Woman Bathing (1890-1891) by Mary Cassatt| and Woman in a Shallow Tub (1885) by Edgar Degas| both show women bathing, though there is a distinctive difference in the way that the subject matter is treated. The two artists are commonly associated with one another due to the fact that they were friends and regularly promoted each other’s works, though Cassatt was widely known to be a feminist, whereas many speculate that Degas was more traditional and leaned towards right wing ideologies. Though the subject matter doesn’t explicitly depict these political opinions, it is easy to see traces of those views in the way they treat the subjects of focus in their respective
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The woman appears to be in a boudoir in a home, and her face is not fully visible. Lastly, the clothing the woman is wearing is not typically seen in women of noble descent, as they often wore richly coloured fabrics and large hooped skirts. This woman is likely from a lower middle class family, and home taking care of the children while her husband works. The painting tells the story of a woman who has stepped away from her hectic life for a few minutes to perform some basic sanitary tasks. It is possible that this woman has just spent her day cleaning and would like to look presentable for her husband upon his return from work. The act of her bathing is not a sexual act, though one done out of necessity. Cassatt also uses very minimal amounts of shading, creating a sketch that is very one-dimensional, while still maintaining an air of completeness about
The woman appears to be in a boudoir in a home, and her face is not fully visible. Lastly, the clothing the woman is wearing is not typically seen in women of noble descent, as they often wore richly coloured fabrics and large hooped skirts. This woman is likely from a lower middle class family, and home taking care of the children while her husband works. The painting tells the story of a woman who has stepped away from her hectic life for a few minutes to perform some basic sanitary tasks. It is possible that this woman has just spent her day cleaning and would like to look presentable for her husband upon his return from work. The act of her bathing is not a sexual act, though one done out of necessity. Cassatt also uses very minimal amounts of shading, creating a sketch that is very one-dimensional, while still maintaining an air of completeness about