American Impressionism: In Their Own Words

Quotes on art and life

"It changed my life. I saw art then as I wanted to see it."

Mary Cassatt, later recalling the Degas pastels she saw in a Paris dealer's window in 1875 (quoted in Nancy Mowll Mathews, Mary Cassatt: A Life)

"We are carrying on a despairing fight & need all our forces."

Mary Cassatt, 1879, on the Impressionists' independent exhibitions (quoted in Nancy Mowll Mathews, Mary Cassatt: A Life, 1994) 1879

"I never in my life saw more horrible things."

J. Alden Weir, letter to his parents from Paris, April 15, 1877, on the Impressionist exhibition 1877

"The two exhibitions there in 1886 saved me."

Paul Durand-Ruel, on his New York exhibitions (as quoted in Nancy Durrant, 'Paul Durand-Ruel, the man who saved the impressionists,' The Times) 1886

"Admirable, as beautiful as Japanese work."