Marlborough Street, Boston 1889

Curator: Immediately, I'm struck by the light. It feels so transient, a moment perfectly captured. Editor: That’s Childe Hassam for you. This oil painting, titled "Marlborough Street, Boston", was created in 1889. Hassam was a leading figure in American Impressionism. What do you see when you observe those fleeting moments that define it? Curator: The golden light of the autumn trees definitely pulls my eye. There is an interplay of light and shadow. Hassam doesn't seem interested in the details of the street, so, instead, this offers something dreamlike... an ideal, I feel. It makes you wonder about the social and economic shifts occurring in Boston at the time, doesn’t it? Editor: Absolutely, and Marlborough Street was, even then, a symbol of wealth and status. But the impressionistic style almost democratizes the image. What was once exclusively the world of upper class is now on display. I also wonder about the influence of newly available public transit during the late 1880s. Curator: A good point. You can notice those details on horse-drawn trolleys running on Marlborough Street if you zoom in. These vehicles and transportation routes can have deeper meaning – progress, yes, but also the idea of interconnectedness, or even disruption, perhaps? Editor: Exactly, progress always leaves things in its wake. I find Hassam’s depiction of this street almost celebratory. The city, at that point in time, had so much promise with innovation and social change and his painting immortalized that particular moment. Curator: I agree. There is something romantic here in viewing everyday lives as artistic works. The blurred people hint at this. Hassam offers dignity through their rendering on canvas. Editor: This has allowed me to see it through a fresh perspective. I love seeing those carriages full of people bustling to different destinations; I had never paid them attention! Curator: And the socio-economic status that the artist painted in 1889 now becomes timeless. A really great testament to urbanity on canvas.