Description
In celebration of the exhibition Mary Cassatt at Work, the Philadelphia Museum of Art teamed up with the historic Shane Chocolate Works & Confectionery to create handmade caramels inspired by Mary Cassatt’s own recipe, shared with us by the exhibition curators. Shane's is America's oldest continuously operating confectionery and is located in Old City, Philadelphia. These exceptionally delicious chocolate-dipped caramels with honey come beautifully packaged in a box featuring The Letter, 1890-1891, a color print by Mary Cassatt. Inside, you will find a portion of the recipe in Cassatt’s own handwriting printed on vellum paper. These special caramels are exclusive to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
The Letter belongs to a set of ten color prints by Mary Cassatt depicting ordinary moments in the life of modern, upper-class women. Cassatt worked on this groundbreaking series from 1890 to 1891, inspired by a large exhibition of Japanese woodblock prints that she had seen while living in Paris. Cassatt’s familiar subject matter can sometimes eclipse the innovative achievements of her printmaking. In The Letter, the expert layering of delicate drypoint lines—especially the wispy hair and eyelashes—with the watercolor-like aquatint of blue and pink is a remarkable technical feat. Cassatt collaborated on the set with a young printer, M. Leroy, whom she credited in the handwritten inscription below the image. This acknowledgment was perhaps a nod to the labor of the project, or to the Japanese tradition of including both artist’s and printer’s signatures on a work.
- Philadelphia Museum of Art Exclusive
- Handmade in Philadelphia
- Contains: 10 chocolate dipped caramels
- Choose milk or dark chocolate
