Le Crépuscule c. 1888 - 1893

Childe Hassam created this oil painting, Le Crépuscule, using traditional methods that reveal as much as they conceal. Notice how the visible brushstrokes don't only describe the scene but create a hazy, dreamlike quality. The painting depicts two women on a rooftop garden, overlooking a city at dusk. The choice of oil paint is significant; its slow drying time allowed Hassam to blend colors and create subtle gradations of light, capturing the fleeting moment of twilight. The softness and fluidity of the medium enhance the overall mood, evoking a sense of tranquility. However, the heavy industrial buildings in the background, painted with the same strokes as the flowers, remind us of the labor and industry on which leisure is founded. By choosing to paint with oils, Hassam aligned himself with a tradition of fine art, elevating a domestic scene to a subject worthy of artistic attention. This tension between the labor of the city, and the beauty of the rooftop garden, makes us consider what exactly is considered 'fine art' and why.