Lydia Seated on a Porch, Crocheting (Primary Title)

 This painting reflects the influence of French impressionism on Cassatt’s subject matter and technique. The sitter, Cassatt’s sister Lydia, is shown outdoors, rendered in loose strokes and washes of pure color that affect a sense of spontaneity. Pressed to the left edge of the canvas, she is partially obscured by the oblique angle of the blue terrace bench. The unconventional placement reinforces a diagonal composition that leads from the lower left to the upper right of the image. The angle is reiterated in the faint lines of the wrought-iron fence separating the terrace from the garden. The scene dates to the summer of 1882 when the artist’s family rented a house outside Paris in Marly-le-Roi.