Independence Hall 1926

Childe Hassam made this etching of Independence Hall in Philadelphia at some point in his career. The scene is dominated by the linear marks of the etching, all those tiny dashes and strokes, and I can almost feel him hunched over the plate, carefully drawing the lines of the architecture. It’s such a patient process, and I wonder what he was thinking about as he rendered the symmetry and geometry of the building and grounds. I find the composition slightly off-kilter. The bare trees in the foreground frame the building, but they also block and interrupt our view, almost obscuring the hall from full view. Maybe he was playing with the idea of access and obstruction, and what it means to represent a symbol of independence. The sky is left pretty much blank, creating a flat tone. It's amazing how such simple, raw marks can evoke a sense of space and light! I think of other etchers, like Whistler, who were also fascinated by urban landscapes. They're all in conversation across time, you know, bouncing ideas off each other, even if they never met. Ultimately, this etching invites us to consider the complexities inherent in representing national identity.