BBC News - Today - Mary Cassatt's 'intelligent' art The American painter Mary Cassatt, who spent most of her career in France working alongside the Impressionists, is a favourite of Today's guest editor this morning, Melinda Gates. The BBC's arts editor Will Gompertz spoke to Ann Dumas, curator at the Royal Academy (RA) and expert on 19th century French art, about Cassatt's life and work. "She became a central figure in what at the time was an avant-garde fringe group of almost entirely male artists," explained.