Applying Feminist Critical Theory to the Works of Mary Cassatt

Abstract

Patriarchasl socialy structure in the nineteenth century was grounded on a strong base through the statements of the philosophers and scientists of the period. It was prescribed that the duty of a woman is to reproduce and they were kept away from the public-private spaces and intellectual sphere, their lives were tried to be fictionalise by giving them the roles of a good mother and an ethical wife. Sexual discrimination was experienced at a peak level in this century, Impressionist artist Mary Cassatt tried to exist with her plastic works. She managed to display a resistance despite the effects of marginalising ideology of masculine power on her. She reflects this opposite attitude by the signification of the places that she fictionalises in her paintings, by the way that she refleects the women images and by the dialectics that she coud not build with the spectator. In this study, the works of impressionist artist Mary Cassatt were dealt with in terms of feministic theory the priod, and her feministic statement which the artist displays with her plactic works, againts patriarchal dominance was tried to be revealed.