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Mary Cassatt (1844-1926) settled in Paris in 1874. She was the only American artist invited to exhibit in the now celebrated Impressionist exhibitions of 1878-81 and 1886. 'I accepted with joy,' she recalled, 'I took leave of conventional art. I began to live.' As well as being a skillful painter, Cassatt was a gifted printmaker. This book presents a pristine selection of her prints from the collection of The National Gallery, Canada. Cassatt was a friend and collaborator of fellow Impressionist Edgar Degas, and, like him, she often depicted the day-to-day lives of women--with seamstresses, confiding in companions, and caring for children. In the early 1890s, Cassatt was also inspired by Japanese woodblock prints and as a result, she infused many of her works with striking Asian forms and patterns that were refreshing and technically innovative.