By Kathy Schoemer

Shelburne, VT. — Until October 26, the magnificent Shelburne Museum is hosting a precious gem of an exhibit of the work of Mary Cassatt, titled “Mary Cassatt: Friends and Family,” focusing on her close relationships with other Impressionists and collectors of art of her period. Among those collectors was Louisine Havemeyer, mother of Electra Havemeyer Webb, founder of Shelburne.

The accent is on the personal here, and a short time spent in the beautiful rooms of the brick house engaging with these intensely intimate works of art feels like a visit to the home of a friend who happens to have the good fortune to own these treasures, and has graciously invited one to spend some time with them. The attention is on Cassatt, and the museum has gathered pieces from other institutions and collections, but the overall impact is very personal and sensitive. There are no barriers; the pictures are displayed in small rooms and are very close to the eyes.

Mary Stevenson Cassatt was born in 1844 into an influential Pittsburgh family, who were enlightened about the artistic development of their children, and an early trip to Europe, when Mary was only six, planted the seed in the very young mind to pursue art as a career. In 1865 she returned to the continent for the rest of her life. (Apparently, seasickness was the rudimentary cause of her prolonged stay. She vowed never to cross the ocean again to suffer a recurrence of that malady.)

She found a group of American expatriates in Paris and London, among them Whistler and Sargent, ambitiously competing in the art world. Mary was a risk-taker, brimming with self-confidence, and the burgeoning world of the Impressionists suited her perfectly. She was modern in the true sense of the word, and saw her work not only as artistically fulfilling, but also as a market commodity. She comfortably slid in to a role as an insider in the radical art movement of the time, joining with Degas, Manet and others to mount truly alternative exhibitions of their work. Her career was launched.

Louisine Elder Havemeyer was born in 1855 and on a trip abroad in 1874 the paths of Mary and Louisine crossed, and a rich and complex friendship was forged, based on a shared passion for art. The triangle was complete with the addition, in 1883, of Harry O. Havemeyer, Louisine’s husband. The Havemeyer collection grew, with Cassatt as the mentor and Louisine as the enthusiastic pupil. The Havemeyers amassed a hugely important art collection with untold wealth from the growth of the Havemeyer sugar refining empire.

The stage was set for the building of a monumental collection: Louisine’s Impressionists, Harry’s Barbizon painting and Asian art, and their joint fervor for pursuing the Old Masters and other important works.

Enter Electra. Born in 1888 into this forceful and enlightened family, she was destined to inherit the collecting gene and became a force in the world of American folk art. All these elements merge at Shelburne, where Electra’s inherited works (the bulk of the Havemeyer collection was bequeathed to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City) combine with her own passion for rural American art works and a truly unique and personal collection takes root.

On a perfect summer day, one can meander among the classic buildings — a combination of early houses and later classical revival edifices — on wide paths, bordered by random gardens, both formal and cottage style. This is like home.

Clover happily thrives in the grassy expanses, and robins dig for worms. Somehow Shelburne has escaped the curse of the gentrified. This must be a manifestation of the spirit of the founder, whose benign presence in photographs emanates kindness and comfort. She chose her spot well. The great and the humble live side-by-side with no hint of uneasiness. So, the work of our own Warren Kimble, iconic rural Vermont artist whose humble and simple works are shown in the Round Barn, has his day at Shelburne, while the work of one of our most renowned Impressionists hangs a few buildings away. Electra would no doubt be smiling.

For general information, www.shelburnemuseum.org or 802-958-3346.