Cassatt, In the Loge: A Glimpse into 19th Century Parisian Opera

🎭 The opera house in 19th century Paris was a symbol of modernity and wealth, attracting both the nouveau riche and artists like Degas and Mary Cassatt.

🏛️ The opera house was a stunning architectural masterpiece, adorned with gold, mosaics, paintings, and mirrors, offering a luxurious setting for the public display of the audience.

🌟 The public spaces of the opera house, such as the lobby and balconies, were as important as the stage itself, serving as social gathering places before, during, and after the performances.

🖼️ The painting 'In the Loge' by Mary Cassatt focuses on the act of observing and being observed in the opera house.

🔍 The female subject is engrossed in looking at someone else while also being observed by a male figure behind her.

👁️ The painting explores the idea of voyeurism, with both the male figure and the viewer being voyeurs of the female subject.

🎨 Mary Cassatt's painting 'In the Loge' is beautifully handled and brave.

👩‍🎨 As a woman artist, Cassatt found the opera to be a place where she could partake in looking and being seen, which was important to the impressionists.

🏛️ The opera, as a social space for women, allowed Cassatt to paint the modern world and capture the essence of new Paris.

🎭 The painting depicts a woman with agency, engaging in the act of looking.

👀 There is a reveling between the male gaze and the female gaze, both equipped with opera glasses.

💪 The woman in the foreground exudes enthusiasm and strength, while her fan symbolizes power.

🖼️ The painting explores the tension between the power of a woman and the role of visual technology.

🎨 Cassatt's painting is about the culture of looking and captures the fleeting moment.

🖼️ The painting is a modern subject portrayed in a new visual language.

🎶 The piano music in the background adds to the overall atmosphere of the painting.