An American painter and printmaker, Mary Cassatt was a key figure in the Impressionist movement and one of the few women to exhibit alongside its founders in Paris. Influenced by Degas and Japanese printmaking, she developed a distinctive style known for its tender, intimate depictions of women and children, rendered with soft color harmonies and confident brushwork. Through her art and advocacy, Cassatt helped introduce Impressionism to American audiences and became an enduring symbol of female creativity and independence in the modern era.