The Sonata 1911

Childe Hassam made The Sonata with oil on canvas in an unknown year, and you can really see the brushstrokes, can't you? The surface is alive with little dabs of color, like he’s trying to catch the light as much as depict the scene. I love how the flowers in the painting almost mimic the woman's playing, each note a delicate bloom. If you look closely at the edge of the piano, you can see how the paint is built up, layer upon layer. It reminds me that artmaking is a process of adding, subtracting, and constantly revising. It’s like when I'm painting and find that one brushstroke can change everything! Hassam's contemporary, Berthe Morisot comes to mind. They both had a knack for capturing intimate, domestic scenes with such light, airy touches. It is a reminder that art is an ongoing dialogue, an exchange of ideas and approaches.