The Current Theory
To date, the most complete search for the Cassatt is documented in Eve’s Daughter/ Modern Woman: A Mural by Mary Cassatt, by Dr. Sally Webster, Professor of 19th Century American Art at City University of New York. One of Dr. Webster’s theories is that the Cassatt was given to a college and is either displayed within a building—its true identity unknown—or stored in a collegiate warehouse. For detailed information on the search for the Cassatt, please see Eve’s Daughter/ Modern Woman: A Mural by Mary Cassatt, by Dr. Sally Webster.
During your search, using the two methods described below, please share your discoveries by posting a note on our Sightings page. No detail is too small!
The “Walking Around” Method
For those looking for a real-life adventure, searching the university buildings that existed in 1912 should prove to be an entertaining way to spend the afternoon. At best, you’ll solve a more than 100-year-old mystery. At worst, you’ll have gotten to enjoy old architecture and meet interesting people.
The mural was created and hung in adjoining sections. Due to its massive size, it is plausible that only one section of the mural is being displayed, further masking its true identity. Below is a description of the mural and a photo of each section.
The three-piece mural is, in total, 64 feet x 12 feet. Originally, there was a 3-foot border around the painting. This border may have since been removed.
Please log the locations you've searched and any discoveries you've made on our sightings page by entering the information in the form provided. We will then share these locations and findings on this site. Even if you find nothing, reporting that fact will help everyone else focus on other places.
To date, the most complete search for the Cassatt is documented in Eve’s Daughter/ Modern Woman: A Mural by Mary Cassatt, by Dr. Sally Webster, Professor of 19th Century American Art at City University of New York. One of Dr. Webster’s theories is that the Cassatt was given to a college and is either displayed within a building—its true identity unknown—or stored in a collegiate warehouse. For detailed information on the search for the Cassatt, please see Eve’s Daughter/ Modern Woman: A Mural by Mary Cassatt, by Dr. Sally Webster.
During your search, using the two methods described below, please share your discoveries by posting a note on our Sightings page. No detail is too small!
The “Walking Around” Method
For those looking for a real-life adventure, searching the university buildings that existed in 1912 should prove to be an entertaining way to spend the afternoon. At best, you’ll solve a more than 100-year-old mystery. At worst, you’ll have gotten to enjoy old architecture and meet interesting people.
The mural was created and hung in adjoining sections. Due to its massive size, it is plausible that only one section of the mural is being displayed, further masking its true identity. Below is a description of the mural and a photo of each section.
The three-piece mural is, in total, 64 feet x 12 feet. Originally, there was a 3-foot border around the painting. This border may have since been removed.
Please log the locations you've searched and any discoveries you've made on our sightings page by entering the information in the form provided. We will then share these locations and findings on this site. Even if you find nothing, reporting that fact will help everyone else focus on other places.
Left Panel: "Young Girls Pursuing Fame"
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Center panel:
"Young Women Plucking the Fruits of Science or Knowledge" |
Right Panel: "Art, Music, Dancing"
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The “Following the People” Method
Listed below are the principal players in this real-life mystery.
Much of the correspondence between the prominent figures was saved and can be found in museum and library collections. Finding additional letters and journals pointing to the location of the missing Cassatt mural could prove to be an adventure in and of itself. Existing letters will be on microfiche, filed in their original form as paper documents, or digitized in archival databases. But perhaps researchers have overlooked some vital piece of information in these existing papers. Or maybe a stray letter is hiding in plain sight in someone's attic or an old journal is tucked among someone's book collection. The search is on!
• Bertha Palmer (Sponsor of the Woman’s Building.
She commissioned the Mary Cassatt mural)
• William French (Director, Art Institute of Chicago)
• Sara Hallowell (Art Agent, she assisted Bertha Palmer in acquiring pieces)
• Mary Cassatt (Artist)
• Mary MacMonnies (later, Mary Low) (Artist)
• William Low (Painter and Mary MacMonnies’ husband)
• Sophie Hayden (Architect of the Woman’s Building)
• John Worden (Chair of the Art Department at Notre Dame)
• Vincent Bendix (Purchased the Palmer Mansion after Bertha’s Death)
Attention, Middle-Grade Readers!
Sean Vogel’s novel Chicago Bound is a fictional account of a teenager searching for Mary Cassatt's missing mural.
Sean Vogel’s novel Chicago Bound is a fictional account of a teenager searching for Mary Cassatt's missing mural.