An Isles of Shoals Day 1901

Childe Hassam made ‘An Isles of Shoals Day’ with oil on canvas, using short, choppy brushstrokes. You can see how the artist moves paint around. It's like the painting is still being made, right in front of you. Look at how he builds up the rocks on either side. The paint is thick, almost sculptural, giving them a real sense of weight and presence. Then, in the water, the strokes become more fluid, mimicking the movement of the waves. See how Hassam uses blues and whites in these marks to make the water look foamy and alive. This feels a little like Monet, who was interested in capturing the fleeting effects of light and atmosphere. But Hassam brings his own distinct sensibility to the canvas. He’s not just recording what he sees, he's conveying the energy of a day by the sea, and the joy of trying to capture something that's always moving, always changing.