Mary Cassatt was the only American artist to exhibit with the French Impressionists in Paris. Despite the era's social restrictions on women, she became close friends with Edgar Degas and was heavily influenced by his use of pastel and Japanese woodblock prints. Cassatt is best known for her 'Maternal Caress' series, which depicted the intimate, private lives of women and the bond between mothers and children. Unlike male painters who often viewed women as decorative objects, Cassatt portrayed them with psychological depth and agency. She was also instrumental in bringing Impressionism to the United States, advising wealthy American collectors like the Havemeyers to purchase works by Manet, Monet, and Degas, which eventually formed the core of major museum collections in the U.S.