Ellen Mary in a White Coat, Mary Cassatt (1896)

Mary Cassatt walked into an artistic rebellion and became one of the three great ladies ‘Les Trois grandes dammes’ of the Impressionist movement. She made such an impact on the movement, that her work was described at the time as ‘as good as a man’s.’ Which is a reminder of the difficulty female artists faced, but how highly regarded she was during the movement.

Impressionism is very much about the moment - and in Cassatt’s case, the moment was often scenes in everyday life, of women and children in various domestic and urban settings, both indoors, and in the open air.

HSBC proudly presents “Beyond the Frame” a look behind the bigger picture of some of the world’s most important Impressionist art. In this season we’re looking at the rebellion of the French Impressionists – it wasn’t all dreamy brushwork, but a movement that was rife with bravery, breaking stereotypes, and smashing perceptions.  

Across this series, we go back 150 years to discover some of the surprising stories behind 6 iconic impressionist artworks, -- one painting per episode.  Warning: this isn’t your usual art history series.

If you like what you hear in your “Beyond the Frame” experience, see these renowned artworks for yourself in the National Gallery of Victoria’s exhibition French Impressionism from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, proudly supported by HSBC. Open now until October 3. For tickets visit ngv.melbourne 

More info at hsbc.com.au/beyond-the-frame-podcast

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