Many of his paintings show the bridge in a composition inspired by Japanese work. Degas's pastel drawings took the design emphasis of line and viewpoint from Oriental woodcuts. Mary Cassatt adapted lines of woodcuts to intaglio printing. Intaglio is unlike woodblock printing. Lines are incised into a smooth metal plate with the help of acid.
Ink is rubbed into the incised lines and the surface of the plate is wiped clean.
Then the metal plate is covered with paper and run through an etching press to transfer the ink to the paper. Like woodcuts, separate plates are used for each color. Cassatt's orientally inspired prints were shown in Paris to a lukewarm audience. The lines of composition with the triangles of the desk and envelope are also of Japanese derivation. The woodblock print by Kunisada shows a woman in much the same pose.