IT MAY INTEREST you what Degas said when he saw the picture you just bought for your Museum. It was painted in 1891 ... He was chary of praise, but he spoke of the drawing of the woman’s arm plucking the fruit and said no woman has the right to draw like that.

He said the color was like a Whistler. He had spoken of the picture to Berthe Morisot who did not like it. I can understand that. If it stands the test of time & is well drawn its place in a Museum might show the present generation we worked & learnt our profession.

Mary Cassatt’s paintings and letters are at the Smithsonian. They will be used to tell her story and other women’s stories of not compromising creativity.