Oyster Sloop,Cos Cob 1902

Childe Hassam made this painting of an Oyster Sloop in Cos Cob using oil on canvas. Look at the surface of the water, you can see how the paint has been built up in short, broken strokes of varying colour. It’s like the artist is trying to capture a fleeting moment, and the way the light dances on the surface of the water. The textures in this piece are just gorgeous. Hassam really gets into the materiality of paint. You can see the individual brushstrokes, especially in the buildings on the left and their reflection in the water. It's not about hiding the process, but about celebrating it. Each stroke feels deliberate, yet spontaneous. There’s a sort of push and pull between representation and abstraction. Hassam reminds me a little of Monet in his willingness to experiment, to give us something that is both familiar and new. This openness to experimentation reminds us that art is an ongoing dialogue, a conversation across time. It’s not about answers, but about asking questions.