Lilacs in a window

This advanced fine art cross stitch design, Lilacs in a Window, was developed from an 1880–1883 painting by American painter Mary Cassatt. The vase in this painting contains white lilacs that seem to bring a bit of nostalgia to all of us. The painting has a fluidity and touch characteristic of Cassatt's best work.

A dark vase with purple and white lilacs is shown placed on what appears to be a windowsill or work surface in a greenhouse, with the adjacent window propped open. This simpler theme is presented with an angular fluidity and flair characteristic of Cassatt's best work, which is not surprising given his love of gardens and flowers. Pure still life is a great rarity in his work, generally concentrated on the human figure. However, on occasion, he placed landscape or floral elements in his compositions as backgrounds and colored accents.

Cassatt mainly portrayed the human figure and rarely painted still lifes. This painting resides in the Metropolitan Museum of Art and was originally owned by Moyse Dreyfus, a Parisian collector, friend and former patron of Cassatt.

Raised in a wealthy family, Mary Cassatt (1844 – 1926) was one of the few 19th-century American women who became a professional artist in an era when wealthy women did not often pursue careers. Cassatt studied in the United States, but spent most of his life in France. Mesmerized by the pastel work of Edgar Degas, she found it changed her life by becoming an influential impressionist. Children and motherhood were her main themes, skillfully painted with simplicity, vigorous brush and luminescent color. Cassatt's art is displayed in many private and public collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the National Gallery in Washington, D.C.