St. Mark’s in the Bowery 1910

Childe Hassam made ‘St. Mark’s in the Bowery’ with a flurry of brushstrokes that capture a fleeting moment. The sky is not just blue; it's a mix of pale hues, laid down with a sense of urgency, making you feel like you’re catching the light as it shifts. What strikes me most is how Hassam uses the paint. It’s not about hiding the process, but celebrating it. The surface is alive with texture. Look closely, you can almost feel the individual strokes. The spire of St. Mark's, softened by the hazy atmosphere, rises amidst the urban landscape, a testament to enduring presence. Everything is a bit smudgy, impressionistic, like a memory half-recalled. Hassam reminds me of Whistler, who was interested in capturing a sense of atmosphere and mood. Like much great art, this painting embraces ambiguity. It invites us to see the familiar with fresh eyes, finding beauty in the everyday hustle of city life.