The Cup of Tea

"The Cup of Tea", painted in Paris between 1879 and 1881, is an Impressionist piece on canvas by American artist Mary Cassatt. The portrait portrays her sister Lydia Cassatt in the customary upper-class Parisian pastime of afternoon tea. Critics note that Cassatt's use of bright hues, unfastened brush strokes, and innovative viewpoint characterizes it as a classic example of Impressionism. The artist's selection of medium for the work is oil, which lends to the richness in color and texture in the painting.