Tea Party Diva

This painting, Cup of Tea - by Impressionist artist, Mary Cassatt, is part of our Tea in Art series. It is also known as Portrait of Lydia. Lydia was the artist’s sister.

Enlarged View

The enlarged view better shows the nuances of colouring, light, shade and toning that Cassatt has used to show reflections, and to add a luminescent quality to her art work.

Shades of Pink

Apart from the various shades of pink in the dress, fading to almost white, note the pink touches throughout the painting. The most obvious of these are on the armchair, Lydia’s face, and on the wall. These add to the illusion of light and reflection.

Use of White

The white is extended through the gloves, the flowers, and shading throughout. The gold rim on the cup ensures that this is not lost in the painting, and also adds again to the reflective effect. White is also a unifying colour.

Time for Tea in the Victorian Era

The resulting painting, Cup of Tea of Cassatt’s sister, Lydia, is a very restful portrait of a “time for tea” ritual. This painting is also known as Portrait of Lydia. Cassatt, like her fellow Impressionist painters, painted scenes and people going about their everday life. Having a cup of tea was very much a part of everyday Victorian life, not only in Paris, where this portrait was exhibited, but in England, Europe and America.

The Newly Discovered Pastime of Afternoon Tea

It was around this time, that having a cup of tea on one’s own was extended to inviting friends to Afternoon Tea. The origin of afternoon tea is usually attributed to the Duchess of Bedford in England. The relaxing ritual of drinking a cup of tea, was developing into a social event. Later, these events included entertainment and tea dances. These are still held today in grand hotels such as the London Ritz and the Savoy.

Tea in Art