Mary Cassat, an American by birth, studied academic art in Philadelphia. However, she spent most of her life in Europe. After moving to Paris, she joined the impressionist movement in the 1870s and started to take part in its exhibitions. Edgar Degas had a special influence on the development of her artistic method: under his influence, she adopted the pastel technique and took an interest in the art of Japanese engravings. In her painting Mother and Child, the artist addressed the topic that later became a core motif of her works. This painting demonstrates the direct influence of Degas’s style, as well as Mary Cassat’s individual approach, with her typical energetic hatchwork and bright colors.