Nurses in the Park 1889

Childe Hassam painted 'Nurses in the Park' in the late 19th or early 20th century, using oil on canvas. Hassam was an American Impressionist, and his work often captured scenes of urban life and leisure. Here, he depicts nurses with their young charges in a park, a common sight in cities at that time. This painting reflects the social structure of the period, where wealthy families employed nurses to care for their children, a practice that was visually very present in urban public spaces. The Impressionistic style, with its focus on light and fleeting moments, lends a sense of modern life and leisure to the scene. To fully understand this artwork, it’s important to look at historical records of class and labor in America at the turn of the century, as well as the artistic trends of the time. Through such research, we can appreciate how Hassam's painting both reflects and comments on the social dynamics of his era.