According to feminist art historian Norma Broude, Cassatt's body of work prioritizes female subjects, including her own mother and sister, to resist the patriarchal forms of femininity and stereotypical behaviors imposed on women.

[1] In line with her Impressionist influences, Cassatt's work adopts an asymmetrical composition emphasizing Lydia's dominant role as the carriage driver in a familiar outing.

[9] Some scholars have seen symbolic significance in the backward direction of the man's gaze and the limited view of his face, which subordinates him to the female figures in the front of the carriage.

[3] As an experienced horsewoman, Cassatt knew how to depict her sister with appropriate posture, steady hand placement, and concentration on the road ahead rather than the child beside her.

[11] The unconventional vantage point and cropped forms give the painting the appearance of being an everyday scene, not a highly significant or staged event.