2021

2021 was a mixed year.
Jean-Claude Thomas, the faithful secretary of Les Amis de Mary Cassatt since its inception, died in August. Marijke Chaineaud and other members were able to accompany him to his final resting place in the Bachivillers cemetery.

Activity remained limited due to the persistence of the pandemic. Nevertheless, our association was consulted on several occasions. The Films du Tambour de Soie, an independent production company, working on a documentary devoted to impressionist decorative works, requested photographs of the Château de Beaufresne. This film was broadcast on channel 5 on Friday, April 8, 2022 at 11pm. It complemented an exhibition on the same theme which was held at the Orangerie Museum through July 11, 2022.

The British company Seventh Art Productions was developing a film on Mary Cassatt to be broadcast on the big screen in more than 60 countries from the summer of 2022 and asked Les Amis de Mary Cassatt to assist them in obtaining authorization to film the Châteaux of Bachivillers and Beaufresne. On Tuesday, November 9, Marie-Christine Maufus and Michel Chacon guided the filmmakers in the steps of Mary Cassatt at the Château de Bachivillers accompanied by its owner, then to the château, park, cemetery and school at Mesnil-Théribus providing them with a maximum of historic information and photographs.
In September 2021 the radio station Monte le Son was broadcasting from the Maison Avron in Hardivillers and interviewed Michel Chacon who told them about the life of Mary Cassatt.

On September 9 Michel Chacon represented the association at a conference held in Dinard by Dominique Dupuis Labbé, entitled Mary Cassatt, Edgar Degas, les enfants terribles d’une époque. This invitation followed a meeting we had on 6th October 2020 with Elizabeth Khawajkie and her husband Patrick, members of the Lord Russell Association, who were curious to explore the places frequented by Mary Cassatt.
A similar tour was given to members of the Heraldic and Genealogical Association of the two Vexins on October 9.

The association has been enriched by two new honorary members:
Katherine Spence lives in the United States. She is a former French teacher and is translating the website into English in conjunction with Marie-Christine Maufus.
Joachim Pissarro is a great-grandson of Camille Pissarro. He is a professor of Art History in New York, specializing in impressionism, a co-author of Camille Pissarro’s definitive catalog and an expert in contemporary painting.
Prune Santelli is a new active member and thanks to her professional experience is playing an important role in the layout and formatting of the booklet Le Mesnil-Théribus in the time of Mary Cassatt. Michel Chacon is directing this project and continues enthusiastically with his researches in the archives, cemeteries and town halls and plans a publication in 2024.