The Little Church Around the Corner 1923

Editor: This is Childe Hassam's sketch, "The Little Church Around the Corner," made with graphite on paper. It feels like a quick study, capturing a moment in time. What strikes you about the process or the materials used? Curator: The visible labor is key here. Hassam’s choice of graphite, a readily available and inexpensive material, democratizes the image. It moves away from the preciousness of oil paint, aligning the subject, a church embedded in the urban fabric, with the everyday experiences of its inhabitants. Editor: So, it’s not just about the church itself, but how it relates to the city and its people? Curator: Precisely. Consider the mass-produced nature of graphite itself. How does that influence our understanding of artistic production and consumption at the turn of the century? Editor: I never thought about it that way before; seeing the connection between material and message is eye-opening. Curator: Indeed, Hassam's choice highlights the accessibility of both the image and the institution it depicts within the burgeoning urban landscape.