Mrs. Holley of Cos Cob, Connecticut 1912

Childe Hassam made this painting of Mrs. Holley in Cos Cob, Connecticut, using oil on canvas. Look at the little dashes and strokes, like confetti, that Hassam lays down. It's like he's building the painting from the ground up. You can feel his way of seeing, and how artmaking can be a real process. The painting is all about light. There's a glow from the lamps, a glimmer through the window, and it all dances on Mrs. Holley’s white dress. I can almost feel the texture of the brushstrokes, thick in some places, thin in others. It's like the paint itself is alive, catching the light and throwing it back at us. Hassam reminds me of other painters like Bonnard, who were also obsessed with capturing light and atmosphere. It's all part of this ongoing conversation that artists have across time, each one building on what came before, and adding their own unique voice to the mix.