The study of Cassatt, a female painter who exhibited with the first impressionists in 19th-century Paris but saw little of their renown, is fascinating, moving, and a superb addition to the Exhibition on Screen series. “Mary Cassatt: Painting the Modern Woman” not only introduces us to her full range as an artist, but also to her complexity and sophistication encouraging us to take a closer look and to reassess her place in art history. Despite her career being made by painting the lives of the women around her, Cassatt detested being described as a ‘woman painter.’

 

She was a tough and independent character, pursuing her own artistic path and very much worthy of the respect she has been largely denied by history. Unlike most of films in the Exhibition on Screen series, this documentary is not related to a blockbuster exhibition, or even a specific collection: it’s instead a general overview of Cassatt’s life and work, starting with her privileged upbringing in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia to her part in the then radical impressionist movement. Complete with leisurely closeups of her work and informed comment from knowledgeable curators, “Painting the Modern Woman” is an interesting and moving portrait of an incredible yet neglected artist.

 

Exhibition on Screen has created films which offer a cinematic immersion into the world’s best loved art, accompanied by insights from the world’s leading historians and arts critics, and providing a wonderful resource to audiences worldwide. Join us as we journey with them through the work of Mary Cassatt.

 

Tickets: $15 adult, $13 member, and $5 youth 18 and under, are available at the door beginning 30 minutes before showtime, or in advance through the online box office at LincolnTheater.net. Lincoln Theater is located at 2 Theater St. in the heart of downtown Damariscotta. More information is available online, or by contacting the theater office by email at info@LincolnTheater.net or by phone at 563-3424.