About Mary Cassatt: The American Artist, Mary Cassatt was born in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, which is now part of Pittsburgh. Even though her family objected to her becoming a professional artist, she began studying painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at the early age of fifteen, and continued her studies during the years of the American Civil War. Cassatt's painting Two Women Throwing Flowers During Carnival was well received in the Salon of 1872, and was purchased. She attracted much favorable notice in Parma and was supported and encouraged by the art community there, "All Parma is talking of Miss Cassatt and her picture, and everyone is anxious to know her". This catalog includes the most famous Mary Cassatt Paintings.