Building a Schooner, Provincetown 1900

Editor: We're looking at "Building a Schooner, Provincetown," a painting from 1900 by Childe Hassam, currently residing at the Birmingham Museum of Art. It’s an oil painting and… wow, there's so much energy in what feels like a fairly quiet, seaside scene. So much activity captured. What catches your eye? Curator: The raw energy is undeniable! It sings to me of human potential and progress, a bit of optimistic Americana in the building of a boat and of the country. Hassam captured that particular moment in time – turn of the century, the promise of new beginnings. The vibrant colors almost mimic the optimism felt at that time. The structure and brushstrokes – do you see how the wooden supports mirror the strokes in the sky above? It feels harmonious and uniquely his own. Editor: I see it! It's almost like the boat is reaching for the sky. But were there challenges to depicting something like this in the Impressionist style? All these messy docks, the business of daily life. Curator: I think that’s what drew Hassam to it. The play of light on wood, the movement of workers – impressionism sought to capture those fleeting moments. Hassam uses light, color and texture in a deeply intuitive, yet sophisticated way. But the truth is that sometimes capturing reality this way can be more challenging, requiring even more creativity than trying to record life with hyperrealism. And to top it off, he captured so much atmosphere. It makes you feel the breeze and the industry all at once. Don’t you think? Editor: Absolutely! Now I see past just a scene and into a… feeling. Thanks for untangling that for me! Curator: It was my pleasure! Each time I see it, it feels like something different, depending on the moment. And I can certainly admire the work Hassam put into creating it. A reminder to be as innovative and industrious in my own life!