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.