Here Mary Cassatt addressed the theme of women and children, for which she is best known... The Child’s Bath is a culmination of these sensibilities, which emphasize decorative pattern and a flattened picture plane. Moreover, the subject mirrors that of many Japanese prints, which capture intimate scenes of everyday life. In Cassatt’s painting, the mother’s encircling arms and gentle touch convey an overall feeling of protection and tenderness. (http://arteverywhereus.org/Art-Gallery/id/53)