A Woman and a Girl Driving
A Woman and a Girl Driving is an oil-on-canvas painting by American Impressionist Mary Cassatt, painted in 1881. It emphasizes the theme of female autonomy in a male dominated society. Lydia Cassatt, the artist's sister, is shown holding the reins of the family's carriage alongside Odile Fรจvre, the niece of Edgar Degas, and a servant to the family, Mathieu, traveling through the Bois de Boulogne in Paris.
Emphasizing Lydia's position of command, Cassatt draws attention to the evolving perceptions of female identity in the late 19th century. The painting serves to challenge prevailing social norms of the time and unveil the range of female experience. The painting is one of the 83 works and letters by Cassatt currently held at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.